Her Secret
by Yannami
Summary: No way is Rima going to share her best friend, Amu, to Seiyo High's most elegant and beloved, Fujisaki Nadeshiko! What happens, though, when she discovers Nadeshiko's true  and shocking  secret- that 'she' is actually a boy named Nagihiko!
1. Who's Fujisaki?

**Chapter 1**

**Before I could finish the last chapter of 'If N was a Child Again', this plot idea came to my mind! I tried to ignore it but it kept on bugging me so I just _had_ to open a Microsoft Word! And I just _had_ to publish it in fanfic too!**

**Anyway, I'll just let you know...**

**I won't be updating this as fast as I used to update the first stories because:**

**First; School isn't as simple as it used to be...**

**Second; I'm most likely to have problems on the flow of the story. **

**Third; I'm lazy...**

**So there! Three very valid reasons!**

* * *

"Nadeshiko! Guess what? Remember Rima? The friend I was telling you about! Well, she's coming to our school! She's transferring here!" A pinkette jumped around in excitement as she told a girl with long, indigo hair tied up in a high ponytail the news.

The girl smiled then gently shut the book she was reading. She looked at Amu with her hazel eyes, cocked her head to the side then said in her high soprano and gentle voice, "That's great, Amu-chan! I'm glad I'm finally going to meet her".

A huge grin formed its way on Amu's face, and then she clapped her hands. "I can't wait! You and Rima are my best friends and the thought of you two meeting each other is so…"

"Exciting?"

"Yes!"

Without warning, Amu embraced Nadeshiko.

"I'm so happy! You know, you and Rima are the only two people in the world who know what I'm really like!" She smiled. Amu lowered her head then said in a softer voice, "…the only two people who know me for being me…and not as someone cool and spicy"

Because of her excitement, Amu must've failed to notice the tint of pink in her friend's face.

"_A-Amu-chan…you can stop hugging me now…"_ Nadeshiko thought, her face turning redder.

* * *

"Rima! Rima! I'm so excited! We're going to the same school as Amu-chan and…and…"

"Shut up, Kusukusu…" A petite girl with long, curly locks of blonde hair said softly so her mother wouldn't think that she was speaking with herself. The whole time, from home to school, she's been hiding the smile that threatened to come out. She was so distant from her parents to the point that she didn't even want herself to be caught smiling by them.

The car stopped in front of the gate of Seiyo High School. "Bye, Rima. Make sure you do well on your first day of school…" Her mother said through the car. "Hai" She said then the car drove off. When she turned to face the school, she finally let out that smile she was holding back.

Amu, _her_ best friend, not to mention the only person who knew her true self was there. Kusukusu giggled. "Rima! You're smiling!"

Rima looked at her chara.

"I guess I am"

She took a step inside, only to receive stares and glances from other students. Rima sighed. It was the same in every other school. She heard someone mutter:

"Look! Look! That little girl is so adorable!"

Another one said:

"Do you think that she's a moe moe Lolita character? That would be so kawaii!"

She didn't like being called cute. People say she didn't look like her parents but she was still cute…

It angered her.

"Rima!"

The blonde perked up when she heard her name being called by the familiar voice. She turned then met a pair of golden eyes.

"Amu!" She smiled.

Amu was in the middle of the crowd, though people gave way to her. Once again, Rima heard same people say:

"That's 2A's 'Cool n' Spicy' Hinamori Amu!"

"Wow! She's already friends with the _cute_ moe moe Lolita character!"

'_Cute? Moe moe? Lolita Character? WHAT_?' Rima thought. After thinking that, she once again focused on what the crowd was saying.

"All of Hinamori-san's friends are so cool!"

"Like Fujisaki-san?"

"Yeah!"

Rima's brows furrowed. Fujisaki? She wasn't Fujisaki! And they said Amu has friends other that herself? She is Amu's only friend-no one else. Rima decided to shrug it off. Amu is pretty popular, so maybe when some random and totally ordinary person hung out with her, they were rumored to be best friends. Or maybe Fujisaki is Amu's hot boyfriend?

She chuckled. Amu has always had a thing for the school prince. Was his last name Fujisaki?

The blonde playfully clung onto Amu's arm. They started talking and laughing while they skipped around the area until Rima turned serious then said:

"Amu, who's Fujisaki?" She asked- her innocent and angelic voice full of curiosity. Amu thought about this for a moment, whether or not to tell. Then, she gave Rima a teasing smile. "I'll introduce you guys to each other later" She taunted. Rima huffed then crossed her arms. If there was one thing she hated, it was waiting.

_"Amu-san! HINAMORI-SAN! This is the principal calling! Please go here now!"_ A sing-song voice said through the speakers.

Amu sweat dropped and Rima looked at the speakers. "Amu, who was that?" She asked. Amu sighed then smiled weakly. "Our principal..." She muttered under her breath. "Huh?"

"Anyway, as much as I hate to leave you on your first day of school, I bet that you can manage. Just go straight then up the stairs. On the second floor, turn right and the first classroom, 312, is our classroom. Good luck!"

Amu sadly walked away. Rima sighed, let out an audible humph then she stomped off.

* * *

A teacher with brown, messed-up hair and untidy suit stumbled in the classroom. As he did, he accidentally tripped over nothing then fell, sending all the books and papers he was holding flying in different directions. The students laughed and the teacher nervously chuckled. "I'm sorry" He said with his arms behind his head. The laughter didn't stop.

Thought the class was uproar, Nadeshiko was silent, looking at the window deep in thought.

Her mind whirred at the different occasions going on. After this class there was PE, and they would once again be testing how high you could jump. She hated it, not because she couldn't jump high-a normal girl couldn't jump high. The thing is she had to hold back.

She let out a devastated sigh. Amu was out too. She was called to the principal's office a little while ago so there was no one to get her mind off things.

"…so anyway, class! We have a transfer student. Her name is Rima Mashiro" The teacher, Nikaidou said.

Nadeshiko snapped out of her trail of thoughts then looked at the door as it slid open.

Rima Mashiro, the friend Amu's been talking about was there.

At the sight, Nadeshiko's eyes widened then she gasped; so did everyone else in class.

The passive girl shut the door then, with her adorable and fragile legs, walked towards the teacher. Nikaidou chuckled nervously at the sudden awkward silence of the room.

He let out a fake cough then started, "This is Rima Mashiro. She came from Sakura High then transferred here due to an incident. Everyone, please say hi to her and welcome her with smiling faces"

.

.

.

Awkward Silence

.

.

.

Nikaidou sweat-dropped. This silence seemed to be killing him!

"Ahaha…" He faked a laugh then turned to Rima. His smile still hadn't dropped. "Mashiro-san, would you please smile and say hi to everyone?" He said. Everyone leaned forward, eager to see what the blonde girl was about to do.

Her expression remained blank. "You know what…" She started. ("Whoa! She speaks!" Some students exclaimed)

Nadeshiko face-palmed.

'_Of course she speaks, you morons! She's __**human**__!' _She thought.

Rima turned to the class then continued, "…I can't smile when nothing's funny"

If it was possible, the entire room became more silent. The dumbfounded students seemed to block out any other sound because of shock.

'_She's just as cool as Hinamori-san!'_ They thought.

* * *

_Rima Mashiro_

_Hair Color: Dirty Blonde_

_Eye Color: Caramel_

_Status: Transfer student and ALREADY UBER-POPULAR!_

* * *

After a long and agonizing silence, Nikaidou awkwardly, silently and shakily pointed at seat beside Nadeshiko.

"Is that my seat?" The blonde calmly asked.

"Y-yeah…" Nikaidou stuttered.

Everyone silently watched as Rima went to her seat.

'Maybe...' Nadeshiko thought as she gazed at Rima, who was doodling random shapes in her notebook as the teacher discussed. Nadeshiko narrowed her eyes when she noticed that she's been drawing family pictures.

'...maybe this girl is also hiding under an outer character...'

* * *

**Okay, I said that I couldn't promise a fast update BUT I can promise you that I will finish this story.**


	2. I loathe Nadeshiko Fujisaki

**Chapter 2**

**Thanks for all the reviews! They motivated me! ****I'm starting to get the plot of this story now too.**

**On with the syory**

* * *

A striking blonde with lilac, cold eyes walked through a crowd of people. Her long, twin-tails bounced with every hard step she took. People would stop and glance at the passing girl in a black, lacy Lolita.

She clenched her fists until they were white. She hated this. She hated the way life made a sudden turn, and now, her brother was kept prisoner to this crazy company whose goal was totally unknown to her.

"_In this country, we know of seven children- studying in the same school-all of them with guardian characters…"_

The blonde twin-tailed recalled what the director had said.

"_Utau, my job for you is quite simple. You must NEVER let those children meet"_

She frowned. She hated being ordered around like this, but for the life of her brother, how can she decline?

**~~~~~~~~Rima's POV~~~~~~~~**

I made my way through this thick crowd in the cafeteria. Being someone as small as I was, you have NO idea how difficult it was for me. High-school students these days were so tall! Being in the middle of the cafeteria with absolutely no idea where I am going, I couldn't tell the difference between this place and a maze (Well, a maze doesn't have people squishing you …)

I tried to reach for the nearest food stall. I didn't care what they sold there; all I wanted right now was to get some decent lunch. It would've been easier if I hadn't lost Amu in this stupid place.

After a few attempts of trying to reach the stall, I finally managed to cling onto the railings, looked at the menu, then groaned.

Of all food stalls, why'd I have to pick the one with raw (and still bloody) octopus?

"Is this even legal?" I muttered under my breath.

"Rima!"

My head perked up when I heard my voice being called by the familiar voice. I turned and saw Amu with four charas by her side (Kusukusu, Ran, Miki and Su). I instinctively waved my arms and tried to make the biggest movements my body can possibly do. "Amu, over here!" I cried. She noticed me then her face immediately lit up. At least she was tall enough to see where she was going, because I saw a wave of her bright pink hair shoving its way towards me.

It must've been easy for her.

The _'Cool n' Spicy'_ Hinamori Amu always gets her way.

* * *

With a huge grin plastered on my face, I lined up in the katsudon stall while clinging onto Amu's arm.

After we bought the meal, Amu and I headed towards the tables.

Before we could sit anywhere, she stopped, winked at me then said, "I have someone I want to introduce to you!" She smiled. I simply nodded. Knowing Amu, it must be her boyfriend she wants to introduce to me. I willingly followed her, at the same time thinking what this person may seem like.

I saw the bunch of cafeteria tables then frowned. There wasn't any seat for us. I tugged on Amu's blazer then said, "Can we eat somewhere outside instead of this crowded place"

Amu shook her head sideways. "No! Wait 'till I introduce this person to y- Ah! There she is! Nadeshiko!" Amu frantically waved her arms at a girl with long, flowing, and violet hair-sitting alone in one of the tables. The girl looked then smiled…at _Amu_…

I my eyes narrow, making the girl stop, wondering what she had done wrong.

Amu slid in the chair with this so called _'Nadeshiko'_ then started hugging her, making my stomach churn a few times because of this indescribable level of jealousy. I glared harder at the girl, making her sweat-drop. Amu didn't seem to notice, though.

"Nadeshiko, this is Rima Mashiro. She's the girl I've been telling you about! She finally moved here and I bet that we could make a great trio!" Oh, Amu…it would be so fun to have this _thing_ hanging around with us for an entire year…

I glared, but when Amu turned to me, I abruptly put on a fake smile then said in the most angelic voice I could utter, "Well, hello there, Nade-chan! You know…" I felt my voice drop into a monotone before I continued, "…I never knew Amu had a best-friend other than _me_!" I made sure to emphasize the word me.

I could've sworn that I saw this girl shiver for a moment.

The girl hesitantly put her hand out for me to shake then said in a melodious voice, "My name is Nadeshiko Fujisaki. Amu-chan's been telling me all sorts of great things about you, and I'm glad I can finally see you in person!"

She said all that a little too happily, considering the fact that I've been shooting daggers at her the entire time. I still tried to keep my smile in place. "Well, Amu hardly mentioned you; and of course she would tell you great things about me! _I'm her best friend_!" I let out a giggle.

The girl was still smiling yet her eyes didn't match. They were competitive and hard.

People near us moved away because blue lightning was cackling between me and Nadeshiko.

I am what you could call passive, and someone who hardly competes, but winning Amu's undivided attention was a competition I've just got to join and win…

* * *

Once again, Nikaidou-sensei tripped over nothing then fell forward, making the pile of papers and books fly in different directions. We all stifled laughter. "What a baka, baka sensei…" I chuckled.

"Well, maybe he's not as stupid, considering he passed as a teacher. Maybe you should rethink that because, from the huge F that's in the paper popping out of your bag, maybe you're the stupid one, Rima-chan!"

I felt my pulse quicken with anger as I abruptly turned to who had said that. Of course, it was no other than Nadeshiko, most beloved girl in school. "Are you calling me stupid…?" I threatened. She shrugged then looked at her trimmed nails with mild interest.

"You could say that" That stuck-up woman said it quite clearly.

For once, I was pretty glad Amu wasn't in my class right now, because I didn't want her to see me in my murderous state. "You're a fake…" I said coldly. Nadeshiko froze then stiffly turned to me. "No…" She chuckled. "…_you're_ the fake…"

I felt a little pang in my heart as I forced tears to roll down my cheeks. "H-how can you say all that, Nade-chi? I thought we were friends?" I sobbed. The whole class abruptly fell silent as they looked at me with shocked expressions. This is turning out pretty well. All I had to do was cry, look cute and blame it all on the purple-head. That would make her reputation go low. I silently smirked to myself then continued on my little act. Everyone, including the teacher, watched in interest.

"Nade!" I faked a sob. "I came all the way from Sakura High, just to be with you, and this is how you repay me? Nade…how could you…" I softly said. My classmate's faces softened. I looked up at her with quivering eyes, just to see how she would react.

Her reaction: NOTHING!

She kept a straight face as she looked at me. This was so strange! She let out a gruff cough then started with a smirk, "You're not really crying."

My blood ran cold; everyone's softened faces turned into confusion.

My tears immediately stopped rolling then I said with a crackled voice, "How can you tell…"

She smirked then rested her chin in her palm. "Acting is my forte"

"U-um...Can we please go on with our announcements, please?" The teacher cut in. Nadeshiko gave him a teacher's pet smile. "Of course! Sorry sensei, but my friend still hasn't taken her pills!" She giggled, earning heart eyes from her fan-boys.

You know what, I just came to a conclusion. I _loathe _Nadeshiko Fujisaki, and I promise you…I would never even get to the point of liking her…

* * *

**Me: Oh really... **

**Rima: Yes! I hate her!**

**Nadeshiko: Love 'ya too, Rima-chan!**

**Rima: GAH!**


	3. She's a Burriko

**Chapter 3**

**~~~~~~~~Rima's POV~~~~~~~~**

I fiddled with my pencil as the teacher went on rambling about our school trip to this beach near the mountains. He showed us a slide-show that seemed to go on _forever_. It was the different things we can do in the place. The problem is that all the activities required energy and spunk.

I mean…

Surfing?

Hiking?

Basketball? (In the beach, nonetheless…)

How can I do all that without fainting? Why can't they add some sort of stop like a spa or something? Do they plan to torture us, girls (Although almost every girl in my class is shaking with excitement. Let's just _pretend_ that they hate the idea like I do…okay?)

When Nikaidou faced the class, he had that casual smiley face on his face. "So, let me tell you who your dorm-mates for the trip will be!" He said. "Hanabe-san, your partner will be…_blah blah blah…_

I no longer intend to listen. I sighed, rested my cheek in my fist then stared blankly at the wall. A hand waving past my face brought me out of my daze, and when I looked to see whose hand it was, it was none other but _that whore's… _

I glazed at her with a blank expression. "Hello, Baka-san. I didn't even notice you there…" I said. She smirked. "You're the one to talk. I actually forgot that someone even sat in that chair, seeing as you're so puny"

I frowned then turned away.

"By the way…" I heard Fujisaki start. I didn't turn around, pretending that I was ignoring her. From the pause, I could already tell that she was smirking. "…I wouldn't leave my mouth hanging open like that when I'm in a daze. Any boy would find it…_tempting_- seeing it's someone as cute as you- then they would just have to stick their tongue in…"

I gasped then felt heat flood my face. "S-stop it!" I shrieked, but not too loud to cause everyone in class to look at me. Nadeshiko got a random notebook then (obviously pretended to) read it. "Why? Am I tainting Mashiro-san's virgin mind with dirty thoughts?" She teased as she continued flipping through the pages. I sucked in a deep breath then clenched my fists.

If only I grew by a few more feet, then maybe I could beat this _freak_ up without getting badly bruised right after.

"Mashiro-san and Fujisaki-san!"

"Yes?" I raised my hand up. Everyone giggled. I cocked my head in confusion then the teacher cleared his throat. "Were you not listening, Mashiro-san? I called out your and Fujisaki-san's names because you're both dorm-mates" He calmly said.

"WHAT?" I exclaimed. I abruptly turned to Nadeshiko, and her expression was priceless! She paled and was dripping in cold sweat. "I-I'm rooming with someone this year…?" She stuttered. "You're not the only one unhappy about this" I hissed, yet secretly enjoying her mortified state.

But get this, it's not like I'm actually happy about having that stupid genius as my dorm-mate. I STILL HATE HER AND HER GUTS! GAH!

* * *

I held Amu's hand then pulled her to the basketball court area. If you're wondering why I pulled her out here, it's because Purple-head probably wouldn't go here. It wasn't long ago that we had played a little game of basketball during P.E. and let me tell you-she sucked.

When she shot the ball, it was always too low. She wouldn't even jump, claiming that she might break a nail! Of course, I wouldn't say that I was any good at sports either. I'm just really shocked because she's worse than me! The other day, when we had played dodge ball, she was always the target because she didn't even know how to run!

And here I thought I was not athletic…

"Why are you bringing me here, Rima?" Amu asked. I just smiled at her. "I don't really know. I guess I just miss walking around, and there being only two of us as friends"

Amu pouted for awhile then said, "…but it's also fun to be three, right!"- I froze. Amu sounded so…happy. Did she really want me and purple-head to be close? Wouldn't it be better if we were to remain enemies? I bet it would. I was about to protest but when I saw Amu, all smiling eagerly at me, I frowned. I didn't want to disappoint her. "Yes, she's okay…I guess…" I said. Amu beamed.

We sat on the grass then shared our lunches. "Where's Nadeshiko?" Amu asked me. I simply shrugged. "I don't know…"

Of course, my intention was to lose purple-head.

"You know of the school trip next week?" Amu started. I nodded then she looked away, deep in thought. "Who are you sharing dorms with?" She asked. My eyes narrowed at this question. I dropped my meal then groaned. "Nadeshiko…" was my answer. Amu smiled. "You're so lucky! I'm sharing dorms with this kid a year lower than us!" She said. My head perked up. "Y-you mean you can actually be dorm-mates with anyone from school?" I exclaimed. Amu nodded. "As long as they're the same gender as you"

I stood up. Just my luck…It was a 1% over 99% to have Nadeshiko as my dorm-mate. It was the whole, freakin' school for goodness sake! How can I end up with that arrogant and snobby woman?

Just then, the bell rang. Amu and I said our goodbyes and I headed towards the classroom. It just so happens that I bumped into Nadeshiko on my way and I staggered and fell. Purple-head didn't even bother to help me up even if it was _her fault _that I fell in the first place.

"Watch where you're going…" I said menacingly while I rubbed the top of my head which was covered with thick, blonde curls. All the freak did was lean in then whisper, "You hate me, and I get it. Think about Amu-chan, though. Let's try to _act_ like friends, just for the onlookers at least…Mashiro-bozu…"

**(A/N Bozu is an informal Japanese honorific meaning 'kid' and 'squirt')**

All I did was glare at her. "You're a burriko. No wonder Saaya hates you" I let my voice drop. She giggled then narrowed her eyes. "Saaya-chan hates me because boys fawn over me" She grinned, but then her stare turned deadly. "…although, I wouldn't mind if I were to lose my female features…and my fan-boys"- I looked at her questioningly. "Why would you want to lose those?" I questioned. She just turned from me then walked away. I growled. "You snobbish baka!" I yelled after her. She didn't stop walking away. In between her steps, I saw her flip her hair only to look a lot more gorgeous.

What a fake…

**~~~~~~~~First Person~~~~~~~~**

"Sensei, when do we get to meet our dorm-mates?" One of the many students Amu's class asked the red-haired teacher. The teacher looked at the girl then said in a very business like tone, "Now. I hope you all get along with your dorm-mates. This trip will last for a week and I wouldn't want to hear any murder cases!" She announced.

"Yeah right. I don't even think I could exchange as much as two words with this person…" Amu muttered. She was seated on the window side of the room wherein the sun shone unto her, making her look as though she was always in the spotlight.

"Hinamori-san…" The red-haired teacher flared. Amu flinched at the teacher's sudden change of mood. 'Keep your cool…' She thought.

When she had gained enough composure, she narrowed her eyes at the teacher then said in a somewhat cool and icy voice, "What."

Inside, the pinkette was trembling with fear. Sanjou Yukari-sensei isn't really known for being the nicest teachers around…

The teacher, Yukari, finally let out a devastated sigh. "To be honest, I don't like you to be dorm-mates with…um…never mind…" She said as she dragged herself to the teacher's table. Amu's eyes narrowed with suspicion. Sure, Yukari Sanjou-sensei was never really known for being understanding. In fact, she scared everyone. Amu, however, couldn't help but feel suspicious.

That teacher hated it when she hung around Rima or Nadeshiko. It's as though she wants to keep them apart…

She could've sworn that she heard the teacher say, "First, Fujisaki and Mashiro now them? Why did they have to be paired up…? Director is going to _kill_ me…."

**I'm sorry for the late update. A lot of stuff's been happening, and I'm sure this is not as long. Anyway, thanks for the reviews from the previous chapters.**


	4. Her Secret

**Chapter 4**

**I think that this chapter is longer than usual. Don't you? I'm not really sure, but it took me awhile to make this. Maybe because a lot of stuff happens here! Anyway, on with the story :)**

Nikaidou and Yukari strutted side-by-side. The two were hastily making their way to the principal's office. On their way, the two of them exchanged no words.

It was Nikaidou that slammed the door open, making the principal, Tsukasa, behind the door jump a bit. He walked in, followed by Yukari then grabbed Tsukasa's shirt collar. The principal waved his hands.

"Now, now, Nikaidou-san! You don't need to be so aggressive! Can't we talk this all out in a gentle manner?" He said calmly, despite the position he was in. Yukari pushed her glasses up to the bridge of her nose then said in a business-like manner, "What do you think you're doing, Tsukasa? You'll be fired from Easter if you keep this up. Why did you pair up the children who are never supposed to meet? Isn't the issue with Hinamori, Fujisaki and Mashiro a big deal enough? Now, include this Yuiki, Souma and Hotori. Think about the hassle!"

Tsukasa snickered then shrugged. "I'm bored! Don't you find this hassle exciting?"

* * *

"Okay, everyone! Make sure you all pair up with your dorm-mates when in the bus. Hotoba with Mariyuki, Kisha with Sukiyama…"

Rima tapped her foot impatiently. Where was that burriko? She's late.

"…Hinamori with Yuiki…Fujisaki with Mashiro…"

Rima's arms shot up. "Sensei, my dorm-mate isn't here yet. Can we leave her here?" She said oh-so-innocently. "Rima, that's kind of mean…" Amu whispered. The blonde shrugged. "It's just the way I am, Amu."

Amu looked around. "My partner isn't here yet too. I wonder what she's like…" Amu thought.

"Probably better than mine…" Rima muttered under her breath.

From the corner of her eye, Rima could've sworn that she caught a wave of violet hair flow by.

'_Oh no…' _She thought._ 'It's her…'_

"Amu-chan!" Nadeshiko ran then glomped the pinkette. "'I'm glad you came. I can't wait to see the baske-I mean beach…"

Rima's eyes narrowed.

'_Freak_ sounded like she was about to say basket-ball court. I'm sure that that wasn't what she had intended to say, though. She sucks at that game.'

"…we can come over at each other's cottages, sun-bathe…Amu-chan, I'm so glad we get to go together and-"

"-Hello, my dear, _beloved_ friend,_ Nadeshiko_! As you can see, I'm here. Please don't ignore me!" Nadeshiko had never gotten to finish her sentence because Rima cut her off with her forced sweet words she had said through gritted teeth. Nadeshiko sweat-dropped. She was suspicious why Rima was acting sweet, but she might as well play along. "Why, hello Rima-chan! You look just as adorable as ever!" Nadeshiko said as she awkwardly made her way towards Rima.

"What's with you trying to act all innocent now…?" She whispered to the blonde. A dark aura surrounded Rima, and for the first time, Nadeshiko seemed to have fear etched all over her face. "I'm _pretending_ to like you for Amu's sake" She grimaced. Nadeshiko shivered.

"Ah! You're Amu-chi!"

Rima and Nadeshiko's heads perked up as they heard, for the first time, Amu's name being called by an unfamiliar voice.

They abruptly turned to where the pinkette was then a dark aura immediately shrouded the two as they watched a peppy brunette chat with Amu so casually.

Amu had a shocked expression. Why wouldn't she, though? No one other than the two has spoken to her this way. Normal people kept their distance from her. That includes her family.

The brunette grabbed Amu's hand then dragged her to the bus.

At that moment, both Rima and Nadeshiko felt something boil at the pits of their stomachs. Jealousy, perhaps?

**~~~~~~~~Rima's POV~~~~~~~~**

I wouldn't want to explain our trip to the place, because Burikko and I hardly exchanged words. All I did was watch Kusukusu sleep and all purple-head did was entertain her fans and gain the teacher's trust. She was a teacher's pet.

"Mashiro-san, you're so stubborn" She told me out of the blue.

I rolled my eyes and tried to ignore her- that was something my outer-character would do. Doing that made my fan-boys swoon and the girls fill with rage.

The bus stopped and Nadeshiko was telling everyone else to make a proper line. For some odd reason, people listened to her.

When we got out, she skipped around then helped random students with their luggage. Why are people listening to her? Worse, why do they love her? Can't they see that she's a fake? She's only doing that to gain the trust of more people and look innocent!

The second we got to our cottage, Nadeshiko immediately picked a dress then _tore_ it.

"Why are you breaking your dress?" I exclaimed. She just looked at me with sternly but decided to ignore me because she went back to breaking a bunch of other expensive-looking dresses. She threw them all in the bed then fished out a yarn from her bag.

"Can you hang this in the ceiling for me, Rima-chan? I'll give you a lift"

"First of all, I never gave you permission to call me _Rima-chan_. Second of all, n-"

I was cut off by her glare.

"Just do it." She ordered. Her expression scared me so I shrieked, "YES!"

She gave me a lift then I found a bunch of nails hanging around the cottage's ceilings. I tied the yarn around then used her torn p dresses as curtains. When I got down, I asked, "Why do we need curtains? There's only one bed so we're going to be sharing anyway"

She flinched then looked away from me. "I don't feel so comfortable sleeping with someone. You take the bed. I'll just sleep on the floor…"

For once, I felt a pang of pity for the burikko as I watched her make a bed out of plain blankets and a pillow. It must be hard and uncomfortable to sleep there. "Is this because I hate you? I never told you to sleep on the floor, you know…" I said with slightly creased brows.

She shook her head sideways then filed her nails. "I just don't want to sleep with chibi devil like you"

That's it.

I will never pity a Fujisaki again…

* * *

Let me tell you how our room was currently like now: My bed was the one by the door and hers was by the bathroom. The room was separated by a curtain (that was made by a bunch of torn up dresses). It's as if she doesn't want us to see each other inside this room. All of this only proves one thing…

…that Nadeshiko Fujisaki is totally flat-chested and is uncomfortable with her body structure.

I snickered at thought then raced out the door to look for Amu, but before I managed to go out, I heard footsteps from behind. I sighed then turned around. "Purple-head. What do you want…?" I groaned. She shrugged. "I'm bored so I might as well follow you"

I shot her another glare but she ignored me and kept following anyway.

"Stop it…" I muttered to break the silence emitting from the two of us. "Nope!" She smiled. "Why are you doing this to me? You're taking my _only_ best-friend and you keep on giving me strange names like chibi-devil! Where do you come up with those? Those names offend me and I can't even find a name that offends you! Are you some kind of Mary-Sue? I swear you're too perfect and fake! Why am I the only one that can see that?" I exclaimed. She shrugged.

"I guess my mother trained me to be the perfect lady"

I groaned. Nadeshiko Fujisaki is so much better than me

Her flowing, indigo hair was good enough to compete with my golden curls; her grades were always picture perfect; she's got her own fan-club; she's uber rich; she sucks at sports yet a lot of people see it as her charm and SHE'S FREAKISHLY _PERFECT_!

I bet that she's got absolutely no problems in this world and lets out her boredom on me, a girl who secretly has a lot of problems.

I tested her perfection and stuck my foot out for her to trip on. Just as expected, though, she glided across my legs without any effort. She turned to me with a frown. "So now you plan to trip me? How low can you get?" "I was testing you…" I growled.

She rolled her eyes then abruptly turned her head so that her long, indigo hair hit me in the face. "Ouch!" I shrieked.

"Sorry." She was obviously faking her sorry.

"Stop _acting_!"

I don't know why but whenever I tell her that she's acting, or being a fake, there's this strange expression that appears on her face. I wouldn't say that it was hurt. She never gets hurt with my low-leveled insults.

"_Rima-chan_, why do you call me a fake? Aren't you the fake? Always acting like you're so cool and passive when in fact, you like comedy…"

"How did you know that?" I squeaked. Not only is she perfect! She's a mind reader as well!

"Kusukusu told me"

Oh. That makes perfect sense! My disloyal chara told my arch enemy. At least I know she's not a mind-reader. Now, I could think 'She's perfect' 'She's pretty' and, 'I envy her' without her hearing any of those thoughts.

"Nadeshiko-chan!"

Nadeshiko froze then turned to the caller. He was a blonde-haired boy with magenta eyes. "H-hai…Hotori-kun?" She stuttered. The boy slightly blushed then said, "I-I need to tell you something…"

She nodded then headed towards the boy but before she could make any step closer, I grabbed her pink-patterned blouse. "Hotori is the last name of the guy Amu likes. Is that him? Is he the school prince?" I asked, my eyes filling with suspicion.

"Yes he is" She answered. My pulse skipped a beat as I gasped in shock, "A-are you going out with him? You know Amu likes him!"

She shook her head. "I don't like him" I abruptly let go of her blouse. "But it looks like…like…like…um…like you…like…"

She turned to the boy with an apologetic look as I continued to stutter. "You can go ahead to the fountain. I'll go meet you there in awhile" She said. Hotori-kun bowed then jogged towards the fountain.

I was about to scream at her but I felt myself being lifted by a force. It was then I realized Nadeshiko grabbed me by the collar and was lifting me a few inches from the grassy soil. She pinned me to a tree then leaned closer to me.

"Do I need to speak with you like this just to make you listen…?" She said menacingly. Our faces were only a few inches apart, and I could already feel her cool breath. If you'd ask me, it's not the smell of berries I expected to come out of her.

I tried to squirm away but for someone that sucked at sports, she was really strong and had a good grip on me. "Get away!" I cried. She leaned closer to control me more until our noses touched. "No." She said.

"Why?"

"Because when chibi-devil gets loose, I can't make her absorb anything I say. Also, I somehow like the position we're in" She smirked. I tried to loosen her grip but it was too tight. "You know if someone catches us, they'll think we're yuri" I said. She let go, making an audible 'Bump' sound when my petite body landed on the brown, concrete soil.

It took me awhile to regain composure and when I did, I asked, "Why did you do that?"

She sighed. "You're suspicious. For the first time someone doesn't like me and I can't help it!"

"It's because you're so perfect! Get used to it, Burriko. The world doesn't revolve around you…" "I know it doesn't…"

We were silent after that. Nadeshiko turned then headed towards the fountain while I stayed there, motionless.

Although I'm wondering now…why wasn't I doing anything? Is Nadeshiko going out with Hotori? If ever she is, then I need to tell Amu that she's not as true a friend she thinks she is. I need proof to do that!

I stiffly grabbed my cell phone then put it on camera mode. I am going to tell Amu what Purple-head is really like. It may hurt her a little, but she deserves to know. I can't live with the thought of Amu being so glad and happy around that burriko without knowing what she's really like.

I narrowed my eyes then strutted after Nadeshiko. Of course, she didn't know I was coming after her.

* * *

"Hotori-kun!" I heard her fake, soprano voice call out. I stopped in my tracks then peeped through a little hole on the wooden door I was looking through. The smell of pines emitted from the wooden fountain room and the sound of rushing water was all I heard as Nadeshiko went to catch her breath.

"Fujisaki-san, there's something I need to tell you" Tadase started. I clicked on the video mode button of my phone then faced the camera at the two without them noticing.

All the while, I couldn't help but feel so bad for Amu.

"Fujisaki-san, I like you!"

And there the boy said it. I'm sure everyone was expecting that. Nadeshiko is perfect and the school-prince is a gentleman. I'm betting that this is one of those lovey-dovey moments wherein the girl blushes and tells the guy that she trusts and loves him too. In the end of these boring romance films, they always end up kissing.

I spun away. My eyes are virgin and there's no way I'm giving it up.

I heard Nadeshiko sigh. "Hotori-kun, I trust you…"

There she goes. I'm betting you 1, 000 bucks if she were to reply, 'I love you too'.

I heard her take a deep breath; I shut my eyes, expecting the 'I love you' sentence to flow out of her gallant lips.

"I need to show you my true self. We are friends, after all, and so I see no reason why not. Take this as my reason for rejecting you…"

My eyes widened. I was _definitely_ not expecting that. I quickly spun around to peep at them again, only to catch Nadeshiko unbuttoning her blouse.

_AH! MY VIRGIN EYES! AH! SHOULD I STOP THE VIDEO OR NOT?_

Poor Tadase was blushing like mad, his magenta eyes widening in shock and his blondish hair sticking out in fear. "F-Fujisaki-san, I-I'm not saying that I want to…to…"

"Oh shut up, Hotori-kun. That's not what I'm trying to do"

An awkward silence followed after that. I didn't know what was going on because I was cuddled behind the door while protecting my eyes from any harmful sight. Finally, I heard Tadase sputter.

"FUJISAKI-SAN ARE YOU…A…a…a…a…"

She was what? I decided to risk my eyes and so I turned to peep at the tiny hole. I felt blood cover my entire figure as I saw Nadeshiko Fujisaki's broad-shoulders and slightly muscled chest. Her hair was let down, giving her a more boyish look.

At that very moment, I dropped my phone to the hard, sharp rocks beside me.

It took me a few seconds to realize that with a muscled chest like that, there's no way she could be a girl.

Nadeshiko Fujisaki was definitely a boy…

**Wow. I wonder how it turned out like that. Originally, Rima and Nadeshiko were supposed to see Noboku and have their fortunes be told. Noboku tells Rima everything but she doesn't believe her (Much to Nagi's relief) The second they get out of Noboku's tent, though, Rhythm comes out and Rima realizes that you can only have a chara of your gender, therefore, Nadeshiko's actually a guy.**

**That's really different to how mine turned out though. Tadase was also supposed to come out in later chapters and I'm having problems on bringing in each character (Currently Yaya)**

**Anyway, thanks for supporting my first few chapters! You have no idea how much 16 reviews for three chapters means to me! And I'm glad there are no flames!**


	5. Extra: How Their Friendship Began

**Chapter 5**

_**Hi! I wouldn't really call this an actual chapter. It's more of an extra because I can't seem to update. Chapter 6 just WOULDN'T update. I can't seem to make it right. Anyway, here's a flash-back of Rima's life back then.**_

_**Note* By the way, before I forget: To answer Musical Cloud's comment, Burriko actually means a female who puts on a false front to attract men and who is rude or unfriendly to other females. This is according to Urban Dictionary (And Tsuki no Kimi's story "Dude Looks Like a Lady). By the way, thanks for the reviews! I'm so flattered (LOL)**_

* * *

The hallway of Sakura Elementary was as messed-up as always. Students ran around and played childish games; most students, however, would tell stories and laugh at the top of their lungs. It was the usual joyful atmosphere.

Abruptly, the joyous aura was cut short and was replaced with one of nervousness and fear when a petite blonde took steps towards the ocean of grade five pupils.

The petite girl had caramel eyes and locks of wavy, butterscotch hair.

"It's Mashiro-sama…" The crowd muttered.

Rima took gallant steps. She didn't bother to dodge other students who were in her way because everyone made way for her, as if she were in a red carpet.

When she was an eye-shot away, Rima exhaled. She was not used to being like this at all. Her life had turned upside-down. Back then, she _was_ cheery, happy-go-lucky and a friend to everyone. Back then one would say 'Rima Mashiro', the person would immediately ask, "Isn't that the super cute and friendly girl that would always smile? Yeah, I remember her! She just made my day a few days ago!"

Now, no one would dare call her by her name. She was distant from the batch, not to mention feared-small as she was. No one really knew what happened. All they remember was one day, she was silent and shielded herself from everyone else (That was so unlike her). She hardly smiled and laughed like she normally would. She always had a straight face and showed no emotion. The day after, she transferred her seat the he back row of the class where no one could speak with her or would ask her what was wrong. She kept her strange act up until slowly, she became more threatening to others.

Rima wasn't sure how it happened herself.

All she knew that it was _that_ traumatizing experience that caused her to be like that. She didn't expect such a change in her.

She knew she had to except the fact, though…

No one could pull her away from this depression…

No one was willing to give her a helping hand…

She would have to keep this outer-façade she had created herself.

Rima ran through a narrow passageway by the corner of the school, hid in the corner then curled into a ball. This was something she would do when she felt terrible- surprisingly, she has been doing it a lot lately.

She felt tears trying to force themselves out but she blink to keep these from rolling down. There was no way in hell she would cry. She once cried so freely but that was the point of her life when she was so dense and didn't think that everything she had at that time could disappear in a split second in a matter of little carelessness. _'Besides…'_ she thought, _'…what's the point of crying? It can't do anything…but to humiliate you…'_

"You okay?"

Rima gasped. She looked up to see who had asked her, only to meet with a pair of golden eyes. Instinctively, Rima put on her outer facade. "Hinamori, go away. Based on the rumors, aren't you supposed to be my rival in terms of coldness"

The pinkette blinked her widened eyes then put on her own outer-facade. "Pfft. Those people are crazy- spreading rumors like that and all. It really is stupid so why would you care?"

"Why are you here anyway, Hinamori?"

"That's what I'd like to ask you, Mashiro. This is where I normally eat my lunch"

With what Amu had said, Rima looked around then creased her brows. "How can you eat in this dark, narrow corner?"

At this Amu was silent.

"Well?" Rima questioned. Finally, Amu let out a gigantic sigh- a sigh that she seemed to be holding back for who-knows-how-long.

"You know what, I'M TIRED OF THIS! I'm lonely, okay! That's why I eat here alone! I'm tired of keeping this outer-character! I want to be a normal student and enjoy my elementary life with normal friends!"

Amu let tears slip from her golden orbs. Rima was dazed, of course. Who would've thought that Amu Hinamori actually had feelings?

"You have feelings?" Rima questioned. Amu bent down then let her head hang. "I can't believe I revealed myself just like that- to Rima Mashiro, nonetheless. You're naturally cool, I'm not. I'm just trying hard, I guess…"

Rima watched awkwardly as Sakura Elementary's 'Cool n' Cold' was before her, crying her eyes out. This was definitely a sight to see.

"Stop crying…" Rima muttered. Amu looked up, her face still puffy. "If you let your face get that puffed-up, people are going to suspect that you cried"

"Yeah…then that would definitely ruin my 'Cool n' Cold' character."

Finally, for the first time in three months, Rima Mashiro smiled. "Hey. What about this: I'll be your friend and you'll be my friend. Also, only the two of us know about each other's true-selves" She extended her small hands then said, "Deal?"

Amu stared at Rima for a few seconds before giving out her first smile in a long time. She then awkwardly took Rima's tiny hands into her gigantic ones when in comparison.

"Deal."

* * *

**_So anyway, like I said, I'm going to be updating my next chapter in awhile. It's just really hard to make so I made this extra so you won't think I'm abandoning this story!_**


	6. Blackmail

**Chapter 6**

_I felt blood cover my entire figure as I saw Nadeshiko Fujisaki's broad-shoulders and slightly muscled chest. Her hair was let down, giving her a more boyish look._

_At that very moment, I dropped my phone to the hard, sharp rocks beside me._

_It took me a few seconds to realize that with a muscled chest like that, there's no way she could be a girl._

_Nadeshiko Fujisaki was definitely a boy…_

My feet were rooted to the ground; it was impossible to move. Actually, it's not just my feet. My entire body was paralyzed.

Oh God…I think I forgot to breathe…

I heard Tadase take in a deep breath. He started, trying to act very calm about the whole thing, "Fujisaki…san….Are you a…." Tadase didn't finish his sentence, and I'm guessing that the shock must've done this to him.

Nadeshiko was silent.

…so was Tadase…

All the while, I tried to let everything sink in.

Nadeshiko's a guy…Nadeshiko's a guy…Nadeshiko's a guy…

No matter how many times I repeated it, it just wouldn't sink in.

Finally deciding that I couldn't just stand there, I sprung to my feet then ran as fast as I could towards my cottage. When I got in, I locked the door then grabbed a pole that was leaning unto the huge closet; I then sat on my bed, ready to attack in case the cross-dresser was to come in.

I may seem paranoid, but there's no way I'm going to let a guy room with me. Worst part is, Nadeshiko doesn't seem like the type of guy that could easily go head over heels for me. He's not the type I could easily turn into one of those mindless slaves, making him totally out of my control.

As time passed, my grip on the pole loosened due to fatigue. To be honest, I couldn't wait to see that _thing_ and hit him repeatedly until he begs for mercy.

Another hour seemed to pass and I was just sitting there on my bed, waiting.

When the door-knob slightly turned, I tightened my grip on the pole. The door squeaked open.

"YOU CROSS DRE- Oh hi, Yukari-sensei! I didn't expect you to barge into my room…" It was a good thing I managed to stop myself before I went on hitting because the person that came in was _definitely_ not who I expected. Yukari eyed me before she spoke, "Where have you been, Mashiro? Everyone's doing all those physical activities while you're here"

I flinched then headed out. As much as I wanted t argue and tell her that I didn't want to play, I had no choice. Yukari scares everyone.

The first place I went to was the beach volley-ball game. Of course, all I did was watch.

"Rima!" I turned my head then forced a smile. "Amu! You won't believe wha- who is that beside you?" I narrowed my eyes at a certain brunette beside Amu. Instead of flinching or shivering in fear as I glared at her, the brunette put on a wide smile then glomped _me_, Rima Mashiro!

"Ah! So you're Rima-tan! I'm Yaya! You're so pretty!" So-called Yaya squealed. I pushed her away although the force from my small frame could only cause her arms off me. "Who are you, squirt?" I managed to spat. Yaya tilted her head to the side causing her small pig-tales to bob. "Yaya already introduced herself as Yaya, and Yaya knows you're Rima-tan! Amu-chi wouldn't stop talking about you! She says you're her best-friend! Do you mind if Yaya joins your group?"

I was silent at first. I was pretty obsessive over Amu, but being mean to this girl just as I am mean to Nadeshiko kind of made my heart sink. She was cute and friendly and would probably make a good friend. The awkward silence that followed was deafening and Amu bit her lip with anxiety. Finally, I said, "Okay! But…"

I went to Amu the spread my arms in front of her as if I was shielding her. "…you'd b better stay away from Amu!" I continued. Amu sweat-dropped. "Hey, Rima!" She chuckled as I continued staring at the brunette. She shrugged then gleamed. "Okay! As long as Yaya-tan, Amu-chi and Rima-tan are friends!"

With that, I smiled. She was okay. She wasn't bad at all…

* * *

The afternoon was awesome, mainly because I met a new friend, I was with Amu and that stupid purple-head wasn't with us the entire day. I made only one mistake, though. I totally forgot to tell Amu about Nadeshiko's true gender- so here I am in my room at exactly 7:00 p.m. sulking for not ruining Nadeshiko's life when I was given a chance.

The door-knob turned again and I lifted my head only to see Nadeshiko's back turned to me as she went to close the door.

"There you are…" I threatened.

Nadeshiko turned to me then faked a smile. "Why hello there, Demon-chan!" She said. I narrowed my eyes at her then spat, "Did you have fun with Tadase today?" She winced. "My day is none of your business…" She muttered as she walked behind the curtain of clothes where her bed was.

"Why are you so conscious, Flat-board? We have so many things in the room that keeps us from seeing each other" I teased.

Nadeshiko huffed then said, "I just _really_ don't want to see your face, midget"

"Is that so, burriko?"

"Oh, so I'm a burriko? I bet that you're just jealous, Numb nuts"

"Douche bag!"

"Crazy Whore"

"Purple-head"

"Stupid blonde"

"Tea-bag"

"Chipmunk"

"Cross-dresser"

"Blonde toilet plu-wait. What did you call me?"

My heart fluttered with joy. Finally, some nickname that was insulting to him!

"I called you cross-dresser, Mr. Gay-lord" I chanted. He moved the curtain to the side so he could see me. For once, Nadeshiko looked panicked. Her face was pale and she looked at me with wide eyes. She took a deep breath then said. "That's only insulting to boys. Girls sometimes dress as guys and it's fine and well-accepted by society"

I kept my face straight then I narrowed my eyes at him. "…But you are a boy aren't you,_ Nadeshiko_" I smirked. Her eyes widened then she exclaimed, "What would make you think that?"

Blush crept up my face then I got my phone from the bed's side-table (Luckily, the phone survived the fall). "You told Tadase didn't you. I have proof right here and I'm going to tell Amu about it tomorrow. There's nothing you can do to stop me" I said menacingly. The girl-boy before me went pale and cold sweat was dripping down his fore-head. "Y-you…saw…?" He stuttered. "Yes, and I have proof"

When she tried to reach out for the phone, I stopped her. "Even if you take it, it doesn't change the fact that Amu trusts me. She'll believe me"

"Don't tell her…" Nadeshiko warned. I grinned then leaned in. "If I tell, what would you have against me, hmm?" I challenged. She frowned as she went on thinking. Finally, her head snapped up. "You know I could steal your first kiss?"

My heart skipped a beat, then I stammered, "N-no! Y-you can't do that! It will only make Amu hate you more!"

I was about to race out the door to cry for help. Fortunately, my words seemed to have and effect on her. "Then Amu-chan would hate me…" She said.

Did Nadeshiko…like Amu?

I shook the thought away.

Nadeshiko looked at me, his big, innocent eyes seeming to pull me in. "Please don't tell, Rima-chan!" "Don't call me that!" I snapped. "Okay then, Rima-_sama_" It was obvious she was flattering me and…Wait…

"I have an idea, Nadeshiko…" I leaned in then giggled. "You would have to do _whatever_ I want you to do or I'll tell…not just Amu…but the entire school…"

Nadeshiko stiffened but nodded anyway.

* * *

**Hehe. I was really busy this week. I dunno why, though. School's hard! Urgh! ALGEBRA I will get back at you someday!**


	7. He's just too perfect

**Chapter 7**

**Hey there! I have nothing to say here so I'll go on with the story!**

* * *

An old man behind a big desk grunted. You can tell that from the wrinkles forming his face, he has been over-working. "This is bad…" He mumbled. "That Tsukasa…What is he planning now…"

"You called for me, Director?" The voice of a woman called from behind. The old man grinned then turned around, only to meet the gaze of a blonde teen. Her usual striking eyes were furrowed by her brows and her slim body was covered in a black Lolita.

"Yes I did, Utau" The director said. "You see, your brother has escaped from the cells again…" He continued. The blonde's (Utau's) eyes widened.

"Utau, I want you to find him and bring him back" He said simply. "No!" Utau yelled. "This probably means that he's free! Remind me again why I should agree with you? He's happier outside the cell!" "And that happiness will not last, Utau, because the bodyguards of Easter can easily find him and forcefully take him here"

"So why do _I_ have to be the one to take Ikuto here?" She asked. The director smirked. "I'm doing you a kindness. If it were the guards that would catch him, they would tie him up, scar him, bruise him…they'll harm him if he refuses to follow in which I'm sure he'll refuse"

Utau let her head hang, her bangs covering her mauve eyes. She headed towards the door, her foot-steps echoing and her head still hanging. "And also…" The director stopped her before she managed to touch the door.

"Once you've taken Ikuto back, I want you to tear those kids with guardian characters apart. It's getting dangerous. Four out of the seven kids know each other already…"

Utau took a deep breath then said finally, "Yes, Director"

**~~~~~~~~Rima's POV~~~~~~~~**

"Mmf…" I mumbled in my sleep.

The sun was blinding me and I just couldn't seem to sleep any longer. I sat up, silently cursing myself for forgetting to close the windows last night. I dragged myself to the mirror then groaned once I saw my messed-up blonde mane. It was like this every morning. I always had to spend who-knows-how-long just to get one strand fixed.

"Where's the bathroom…" I silently mumbled. I walked over to where the curtain of clothes was but tripped on a dress causing the entire curtain itself to fall to the ground, burying me deep under. There goes the curtain I worked so hard to make; broken.

I dug my way from under the mountain of clothes then sighed.

Nadeshiko and I have to go fix it up again. What a hassle.

"~Nee, Nadeshiko…" I turned my head to where she slept but…I immediately blushed.

Nadeshiko was still sleeping on the ground, his long, indigo hair falling softly unto his smooth face and pooled over one side of the pillow he lay on. He took long, soft breaths that caused his body to rise and fall. His expression was so peaceful, his lips were slightly parted, and it was an expression he never wore when he was awake (Or maybe I just didn't notice). What had caused my heart to beat faster, though, is that his light-blue polo was unbuttoned showing his toned and concrete chest.

I stared at him with wide eyes and a red face as he went on sleeping, totally oblivious that he was being watched.

There was only one thing on my mind: 'Who would've thought that Nadeshiko Fujisaki was such a hot guy?'

"Rima-chan…" I gasped when his eyes slowly parted. "H-hai?" I shrieked. He sat up; totally unaware of his unbuttoned polo then rubbed his eyes with his palm. "What are you staring at…?" He wondered. Other that his surprisingly toned chest and cute features, I noticed something else. His voice had dropped by several octaves, giving him a more boyish voice. "Y-your voice is deeper…" I managed to squeak out. He looked at me (Of course I blushed) then sighed. "Of course! Don't tell me that you actually thought my voice was that high-pitched and girly. The '_Nadeshiko voice_' just takes away my manliness" He stretched out then yawned.

"Your…manliness?" I repeated.

He just looked at me unbelievingly. "Of course. I'm a boy and manliness matters"

I thoroughly shook my head. "You care about your manliness? So you're not gay? That's good. Wait- it's not good. That means that you're still perfect!" I screeched. "So I guess I can't nickname you gay-lord anymore…" I let my shoulders sag and Nadeshiko sweat-dropped.

An awkward silence followed after that. "By the way…" He started. I looked at him, a tint of pink hopefully wasn't visible on my cheeks. He placed his fingers on his chest as he said, "My name is not really Nadeshiko. It's _Nagihiko_" He emphasized the name.

"Na…gi…hi…ko…" I mumbled. He raised his brows. "Why? Is there something wrong?" He asked. I shook my head. "No. I was only trying to get it rolling through my tongue since it is a pretty difficult name" I admitted.

"You must be pretty bad with tongue-twister" He chuckled. "Actually, you're pretty bad at everything!" He shrugged. I felt fire on my eyes as I exclaimed, "Fujisaki! Don't forget I have information about you and unless you want everyone to know it, you must follow me _and_ stop teasing me. Got that, Nade-Nagihiko?"

He flinched and I smiled with satisfaction.

"You're being so mean to me. Why?" He pouted.

"Because I simply don't like you" I replied nonchallantly.

* * *

The morning had been chaotic with me and Nagihiko's constant fighting over the bathroom and our argument over what I should wear. In the end, I ended up wearing a sky-blue dress with puffed sleeves and a white slip-on.

Nagihiko, as Nadeshiko, had his hair at its usual high-pony; he wore a loose, orange blouse, violet shorts and plain rubber shoes. I remember back then, wondering why none of _Nadeshiko's_ clothes had cleavages. If I didn't know that she was actually a boy, I would've asked and I would've treated it as an insult.

Now I know why he wasn't affected by my flat-chested insults. He was a guy and a guy doesn't need mountains. I also noticed how he would slightly wince whenever I call him purple-head, so I would stick to that nickname whenever I would feel merciful. However, I just discovered an insult that would obviously get on his nerves.

"Hey, _cross_-_dresser_, what would you do if Amu caught you in Nagihiko mode?" I asked. I saw his left eye twitch at the nickname and I let a smug smile creep up my face. "_Cross-dresser_, you there? I just asked you a question" I said with a satisfied smile. He groaned. "Stop calling me that"

"Why? I just discovered a nickname that really suits (not to mention annoys) you" I tilted my head innocently.

"Just shut up, Rima-tan. I'm going to the basketball court" He muttered. "Yeah. I would love to have you go away and leave m-…wait. Where did you say you're going?" I raised a brow. "The basketball court." He repeated.

I laughed at that and he frowned. "Why are you laughing?" He asked.

"Because you SUCK at that game and you want to watch it!" I said in between laughter. "I know the rules." He said. "You shoot the ball, blah blah blah. That simple"

"Why don't we just watch the surfers?" I asked and he raised a brow. "You want _me_ to come with you?" he made sure she heard right. I flinched.

After a few seconds, I said, "Oh. I forgot that I hate you. I'm going to look for Amu and Yaya"

"Yaya?" He called out. "She's me and Amu's new friend!" I said, sticking my tongue out at him"

"And I still hate you!" I called out.

**~~~~~~~~Amu's POV~~~~~~~~**

I stared at Yaya, my jaws dropping and my eyes wide with shock. "A-are you sure you can finish all that candy, Yaya?" I asked. She got another handful of the free candy from the basket while chanting some song. She was starting to make people stare and she was so oblivious to it. "What do you mean, Amu-chi? Yaya's going to collect as many candies as she can!" She giggled.

"M…mm but…are you trying to give yourself diabetes?"

"No! Yaya-chan doesn't want to get sick. Then that would limit her candy!" She squealed as she got three more handfuls. "O-oh…" I trailed of.

"Amu! Yaya!"

Yaya and I turned in response to our names. I smiled when I saw Rima headed towards us. "Rima-tan!" Yaya called out ahead of me. "Hi, Rima!" I waved then ran towards her. "I'm going to go watch the surf. Want to come with me?" She asked. I chuckled nervously as I twirled a strand of my hair. "Y-yeah but…as long as I don't surf because…I'm not really what you could call a swimmer…"

Rima chuckled too. "Me too…"

"Amu-chi! Rima-tan! Yaya wants to surf! Let's surf!" Yaya pouted. We both glared at her then snapped, "No".

The baby of the group stubbornly crossed her arms then mumbled something we couldn't understand. I turned to Rima, totally ignoring Yaya's little tantrum. "So, Rima, where's Nadeshiko? Why can I hardly see you both together? You're room-mates after-all" I said. "You mean cross dre-…I mean _Nadeshiko_? Oh. She went to the basketball game" She replied.

"What?" I exclaimed. "Nadeshiko? Basketball? No way!" I laughed and Rima joined in the laughter. "I know!"

"Let's join her. That way, she won't be lonely" I suggested. Rima opened her mouth to say something but the immediately shut it then frowned. "Y-yeah…okay…"

Is it just me or does Rima and Nadeshiko seem to…not be getting along? I shrugged the thought off then lead Rima and Yaya towards the basketball-court. Almost instantly, I saw Nadeshiko sitting by the grass, cross-legged and looking hopefully at the guys that were playing. I knew she was deep in thought because she was biting her bottom lip- this was a habit she had come up with whenever she was thinking. I stopped in my tracks, grabbed Rima and Yaya then hid behind the tree where Nadeshiko couldn't see us.

"What are you doing?" Rima hissed. "Yeah, Amu-chi?" Yaya asked. I shushed them then peered through the tree trunk so I could get a clear view of Nadeshiko. She was looking at he basketball players with this…strange…expression.

"Omigod, Rima, Yaya. I think Nadeshiko's in-love…" I whispered. "To who?" Rima asked. "Who's Nadeshiko?" Yaya wondered. "She's the other friend I was telling you about" I said.

When I said that, it seemed to have an impact on Rima. She always has this tendency to look offended whenever Nadeshiko's mentioned so I'm more careful with my words although I have no idea what it was in my sentence that has caused her to flinch. "You okay, Rima?" I asked worriedly. "Y-yeah…" She muttered.

"HEY! WATCH OUT!"

I automatically looked up at the yell. My eyes widened in fear when I saw the basketball hurling directly at Nadeshiko's head. "Nadeshiko!" I screeched.

Nadeshiko's milky hands automatically reached up then she grabbed the ball before it could have any impact on her. I breathed a sigh of relief. "That was close…" I heard Yaya, who seemed to also hold her breath sigh.

A tanned boy with mahogany hair and emerald eyes came up to her. "Nice reflex" He said. He extended his hands for a shake. Nadeshiko shook it.

"My name is Kukai Souma. You're Nadeshiko Fujisaki, right?" He asked. Nadeshiko slowly nodded. "Yup"

This could get interesting. I leaned in to Rima and Yaya then whispered, "Hey. Nadeshiko hasn't been dating guys nor has she crushed on one. You want to pair them up?" "What?" Rima exclaimed. She stifled laughter while Yaya and I looked at her as if she just lost her mind.

"Is she always this crazy, Amu-chi?" Yaya asked. I shook my head sideways. "Nope. Only now..." I muttered. I looked back at the two (Nadeshiko and this so-called Kukai) then smirked. "Operation Kukade is now in progress" I said. Yaya looked amused while Rima gave me the 'you're-serious-aren't-you-look'. "Kukade?" She asked. "The pairing name of Kukai and Nadeshiko" I whispered.

"Yaoi! Yaoi! Yaoi!" Rima silently hummed in a somehow teasing manner. I raised a brow then asked, "Why are you saying that?"

Rima shrugged innocently. "Betsuni! I somehow remembered this yaoi show from a long time ago, that's all" She giggled. "So what do we do?" Rima said, looking amused. I leaned in to the two. "First, we make Nadeshiko trip" "What does that have to do with pairing them up, Amu-chi?" Yaya asked. "Yeah"

I sighed. It was simple to analyze. How can they not get it?

"The will result to either a kiss, Nadeshiko on top or Kukai helping her up!" I smiled. Rima shook her head vigorously. "That's impossible. I tried to trip him a million times but he would just glide across" She said. I raised a brow. "Why would you want to trip her?" I asked. "I was testing her perfection. Trust me. She's a Mary-sue with absolutely no problems in this world…"She replied with a deep sigh.

Well it was pretty true. I've never really seen Nadeshiko commit any mistakes. Even at home she's the perfect girl. Her dance steps are always right and she's so light on her feet. If I was a guy and I saw her dancing, I bet that I would've immediately fallen in-love with her.

"That's it!" I immediately shot up. Rima and Yaya seemed taken aback by my sudden outburst but I went on, anyway, "Let's make Nadeshiko dance. That will make Kukai go head-over-heels for her!" I exclaimed.

"What kind of dance?" Rima questioned. "Her specialty is Japanese dance so…yeah…"

I sprang to my feet then raced towards Nadeshiko. "Nadeshiko! Do a dance for us!" I pleaded. Nadeshiko paled. "What? Now? Why?". I looked over Nadeshiko's shoulder where I found the tan boy looking at us with an amused expression. Instinctively, I went to him. "Souma-kun! Make Nadeshiko do a dance for us! Please!" I pleaded, putting on my sparkly face. Kukai blushed slightly then nodded. "S-sure…"

"Arigatou!" I cried.

"Amu! You're not _pairing them up_! You're flirting!" I heard Rima scream from the bushes.

At her voice, Nadeshiko stiffened. "P-pairing who and who up?" She stuttered. Kukai looked from Rima to me repeatedly- with each glance, he seemed to be getting what we were trying to achieve. "You're trying to pair me and Queen up, aren't you" He simply said.

"Amu-chan!" Nadeshiko exclaimed.

"But Kukade is such a cute pairing name!" I whined. From the corner of my eyes, I saw Rima smirk then she gave Nadeshiko a knowing looking. Nadeshiko turned solid. I wonder what Rima meant when she gave Nade_ that_ look…

"I-I can't, Amu-chan! I'm busy!" Nadeshiko stuttered. "Busy doing what?" "Studying!" "You mean to tell me that you're not satisfied with an average grade of A+++ in the report card?" I yelled, mortified. Nadeshiko shook her head vigorously. "I'm aiming for A to the tenth power" "But there's no such thing as that in the card" I exclaimed. Nadeshiko, being the perfect girl that she is, flipped her hair then gave me a genuine smile. "If I bribe enough, the teachers will give me"

"You're taking the teacher's pet thing for granted!" I said. Nadeshiko narrowed her brown eyes. "Am not. I'm just using it to my advantage"

"It's the same thing, Nadeshiko-chan" I clarified.

Yaya, Kukai and Rima sweat-dropped as Nadeshiko and I went on with our useless and suddenly-of-of-topic blabbering.

* * *

"Amu-chi! Yaya finds Naddy and Rima very funny!" Yaya giggled as we headed back to our cottage. I smiled at her. "That's why they're my friends. You're pretty interesting too, Yaya!" I said.

"Yaya also finds Kukai interesting. Can he join us?" She pleaded. "I doubt that he'll join. He's a soccer super-star and just as popular as Tadase-kun. That means that he's REALLY popular" I replied with a sigh. Yaya gave me a suspicious glance and I stiffened at her expression. She leaned near me then cooed, "So does Amu-chi like Kukai? She teased. My face heated up then I retorted with a sharp, "NO!"

I was about to reason out but something fell on my head. "Ow!" I yelled, rubbing my head. I looked down at what hit me, only to gasp in shock when I saw a black decorated…

"…chara egg…?" Yaya peered at the egg that hit me on the head. My eyes widened. "Yaya, you can see charas?" I asked. Yaya glanced at me, her expression just as shocked. "I have a chara named Pepe-chan! She's at home! Amu-chi, DO YO HAVE CHARAS?" She nearly screamed the last part and she was literally rubbing her cheek against mine. "Y-yes!" I said. "Wah! Amu-chi, that's so cool! Yaya's glad she found someone that has a chara too!" She cried.

I chuckled. "Rima and Nadeshiko have charas too; Nadeshiko's chara still hasn't hatched, though…" I said, placing my index finger under my chin. Yaya's eyes were now literally sparkling. "Whoa! AMU-CHI, SUGOI-DESU!"

"Hey! You there!"

Yaya and my head snapped up when we heard a small voice above us. There, we saw a chara with a mop of purple hair. He had golden eyes and a pair of huge kitty ears.

"A chara!" Yaya and I said in unison.

The small cat chara landed on our feet then went on panting heavily. He looked up at us, his golden eyes shimmering as tears slowly slid down his small, chibi face. He placed his paw-like hand on is eyes then bawled. "I know you could see charas ~nyaa! I bet that you could hear me too ~nyaa! So please! Help my bearer! He suddenly became unconscious and I don't know what to do ~nyaa!" It pleaded while pointing at a specific direction off a distance. Yaya and I looked at each other.

Yaya's expression was scared- as if she's not used to all this action. I bet that my expression, however, was determined to save whoever this bearer was. "Let's go, Yaya." I snapped, springing up to my feet and running of to where the chara's bearer might've been.

I hear Yaya call out, "Amu-chi, wait! Yaya can't keep up!"

I didn't dare look back, though. I know that there is someone hurt there and I am determined to help him.

**~~~~~~~~Narrator~~~~~~~~**

"Nagihiko, go get me ice-cream" Rima said as she leaned into a bench with arms crossed. "Why would I do that for you?" Nagi questioned. "Oh?" Rima sat up, her blonde curls softly falling unto her shoulders then she called out a random boy. The boy seemed honored to be called by someone as cute as Rima for he was in a hurry to get to her, eager to know what the 'Ice Queen' would want. "~nee, did you know that Nadeshiko Fujisaki is actually a-"

"Okay! Okay, Rima-chan! What flavor?" Nagihiko panicked. Rima smirked, leaned back then shooed the boy away (A few minutes later he was fond huddling in an emo corner).

"I want strawberry. No sprinkles. Not so sweet and really expensive" She said casually. Nagihiko extended his hands and Rima just stared at it. "Where's the money I'll use to pay?" He asked. Rima raised her brow then chuckled. "Have you no manners dear, sweet Nagihiko? It is only proper for a gentleman to treat a lady, you know" Rima crossed her arms again. "Now shoo! Off you go, fly"

Nagihiko seemed taken aback at first. He was NOT used to being ordered around. He mentally cursed himself for being so careless.

That day he told Tadase the secret, he had no other choice though. He had to take his blouse off to prove things because he still remembers very clearly his previous attempts to tell Tadase (Normal attempts that don't involve taking his shirt off. By _normal attempts_, I mean telling it to him like a normal person) When Nagihiko told Tadase back then, Tadase would laugh and take it as a joke. He wouldn't believe a thing of it. That's basically the reason to why he had to take it at such an extent.

"Well, I'm waiting, Nagihiko…" Rima sighed. Nagihiko clenched his fists in frustration. He'd never imagined himself being ordered around just like this. Of all people, why did it have to be Rima that found out?

Nagihiko's head snapped up. He turned his back on Rima then exhaled. "Yeah, yeah. Sure…" He muttered darkly. A satisfied grin crossed Rima's small face.

"Rima…" Kusukusu cried from beside Rima. Rima looked down then asked, "What is it, Kusukusu?"

The small clown chara sighed. "Don't you think you're over-doing things? Nagi's not used to being ordered around yet…you…"

The blonde chuckled. "That's the point. We'll let him learn that not everyone is as perfect as him. You know, he'll take awhile because the ice-cream parlor is pretty crowded and he'd have to line u-"

"Here you go, Rima-chan"

Rima flinched at the voice. Instinctively she turned around with a startled expression. "Y-you're fast!" She exclaimed. Nagihiko shrugged. "The parlor was crowded with a bunch of girls from outside Seiyo so I dropped the Nadeshiko act. When they saw me, they instinctively let me ahead of them. Also, the cashier lady was around our age so…she made mine fast and special"

Rima looked at the cone with raised brows. "Why is there a contact number here?" She asked. Nagihiko blew a strand of hair off his face then replied, "The cashier-person put her number there. Ignore the heart shaped syrup in the ice-cream too. It's nothing"

Rima gawked while Kusukusu laughed.

'Why can't I see any flaw in him?' Rima's thoughts screamed.

* * *

**I need to put Easter here more. Also, I forgot who the seven kids with charas are. I know it's Amu, Rima, Nadeshiko, Yaya, Tadase, Kukai and I forgot the next one. Omigod I thik I made a mistake in the numbering! **

**Anyway, this chappie's finally done! I'm not sure if it's really a chapter, though. Hardly anything happened. I'm fine with it,, though because it's long (LOL)**


	8. She really is a he

**Chapter 8**

**Hey, guys! Thanks so much for suggesting Kairi! It helped a lot! Honestly! Now I remember, WHOOPEE! I'm glad you helped me out on this! And thanks so much for reviewing on my chapters. I hope this chapter turned out well...**

**So anyway, on with the story!**

**~~~~~~~~Amu's POV~~~~~~~~**

I locked our cottage as I let this strange boy in. He was tall and unconscious and heavy, making him a lot harder to carry all the way from the sakura tree where I found him. I gently lay him on the bed then proceeded to getting him some cold water to drink in case he woke up.

Cold sweat rolled down my face as I poured the water in the miniscule glass. Since I was in the kitchen, I decided to make a snack for him too, so with the help of Su, I managed to make a bowl of good katsudon.

I put the glass of water and the katsudon in a tray then hurried to the boy. My pace was quickening and my heart was pounding. As much as I wanted to tell the teachers about this strange boy, his chara won't let me, claiming that the old hag (Sanjou-sensei) and the clumsy idiot (Nikaidou-Sensei) would take him to a world of hell. Honestly, is it just me or is this chara keeping something from me?

"Ikuto…wake up…" His chara cried as he poked the boy's cheek.

So his name was…Ikuto…

The chara made way for the tray as I put it on the table. From the top of my closet, Ran and Miki's eggs parted then the two drifted towards me (Su was making taiyaki for no particular reason)

"Amu-chan! Who's he?" Ran wondered, glancing at Ikuto's chara with a peculiar expression. The cat chara remained panicked over his bearer and so Ran floated over to him then kicked him in the back. The chara screeched then flew up due to shock. Ran crossed her arms then said sharply, "Who are you?"

"I'm Yoru ~nyaa! And can you at least _try_ not to hit me like that?" He yelled. Ran and Yoru came into a heated quarrel while Miki simply drew the two as they fought. I fixed my attention away from the charas and unto the boy's features.

He wore a black uniform that was tight and showed most of his masculine features; his eyes were shut, making me wonder what his eye color would be; his breathing was slow and deep- his chest slowly rose and fell with every breath; and his hair was of a marvelous midnight-blue that fell softly unto his face. This boy, who looked a few years older than me, currently looked so weak and innocent.

"Poor boy…" I muttered soft enough so none of the charas would hear.

A few seconds after I said that, his eyes slowly parted, revealing his ocean blue eyes. "Where am I…?" He said, still half asleep. He sat up then peered at me. "Who the heck are you?" He said simply. I flinched at his rude attitude but decided to be nice since he only just woke up from nearly fainting anyway. It may not be in my character but I forced a smile then said to him, "My name is Amu Hinamori. I brought you in since I saw you unconscious" I said. He examined me- repeatedly looked me from head to toe and vice-versa. I couldn't help but feel slightly awkward. Finally, he said, "Don't expect me to entertain you. You have no boobs"

All five of us in the room gaped. "A-Amu-chan…" Ran and Miki cried, obviously feeling sympathy for me.

The boy, Ikuto leaned into me and just in time, cat features (ears and a tail) appeared on him. He smelled me, which was really freaky when you think about it, and then he frowned. "You have charas…"

"Well duh. They're beside me…" I said, my cool slowly coming in.

Ikuto leaned on me making me slip and fall. I gasped then closed my eyes, preparing for the hard ground's impact on my head but it never came. Instead, I felt soft hands below my head, protecting me from the impact. When I opened my eyes, I saw Ikuto on top of me. He looked just as shocked as I was, and we remained in that position until I pushed him away. Finally, I exclaimed,

"HENTAI, COSPLAY, NEKO-MIMI!"

**~~~~~~~Rima's POV~~~~~~~~**

"Nagihiko Fujisaki, would you PLEASE tell me what all of this is about?" I screamed as I stared at the cluttered room in horror. The blankets and pillows of my bed were scattered to the ground, crumpled shirts, socks and pants lay recklessly unto the bed, my gaga mangas were thrown to the corners of the room and I could've sworn that I've been having glimpses of my pre-bras and underwear hanging around. He ignored my little out-burst and went on searching for whatever item he had lost.

"EXPLAIN!" I screamed.

I finally caught the attention of Purple-head. He stopped frolicking around then turned to me with narrowed eyes. "I lost something…" He said in monotone. I tapped my foot then fingers impatiently. "What did you lose? Your favorite dress, Cross-dresser?" I hummed. He winced at the insult but continued anyway, "I didn't lose any of my 'Nadeshiko' stuff. I lost something that belongs to 'Nagihiko'" He pointed out. I rolled my eyes then kneeled beside him. "Tell me what you lost. I'll help you find it…" I muttered. "It's a-…wait. Did you really say you'd help me?" He gasped. I blushed then puffed my cheeks. "There's nothing wrong with that! I just don't want _my_ room to look like some tangled-up jungle" I argued.

He said nothing else but stood up. "Are you sure that's _really _the reason? You're acting. Trust me, I can tell" He said sternly.

I huffed then turned away from him. "Okay! I'm just making up for yesterday after making you get me an ice cream, smoothie AND Yuukari-sensei's car. It's really not a big deal, considering you're suspended for a day once we get back to school…"

He chuckled then said, "It doesn't matter if it's Yuukari. I'm still a teacher's pet…to the other teachers, anyway…"

I widened my eyes then exclaimed, "It IS a big deal! It doesn't matter if other teachers love you! It's Yuukari-sensei that matters! If she hates you then it's the end of your world!" I cried. Nagihiko was silent, making me look up at him. I was slightly afraid that he would be mad. I was starting to enjoy his company (BECAUSE he's like a slave; a personal slave)

"That was pretty mean, now that I think about it…" He started. "I admit it was" I said calmly, looking him straight in the eye. My pride immediately dropped when I saw his expression. He was smirking at me seductively. Instinctively, I moved away. "You have to make up for it…" He chuckled, leaning into me. I moved away and he moved closer. "G-get away!" I stuttered. He caught me by the wrist then glomped me. "Stop it, Cross-dresser!" I squirmed under him. "What was that?" He hummed, gently twisting my wrist. "I said stop it, _cross-dresser_…" I muttered. He leaned in close enough to make our foreheads touch, "Stop calling me that…" He warned. "Or what?" I spat. He smirked then nibbled my neck. I screamed then tried to push him away but I was far too weak to compete with his strength. After multiple kicks and screamed, I finally gave up. "Let go of me…" All that was left of me was my icy tone. He sat up although he still had me trapped under him. "First you've got to take it back; what you called me, that is…" He said. I frowned then tried another attempt to push him off; it was of no use.

"No!" I screamed.

He narrowed his eyes then leaned. My eyes widened and my face flushed when I realized that he was aiming to kiss my lips. Immediately, I gave in. "Okay! Okay! I take it back, Nagihiko! You're not a cross-dresser! Well…you are but…I'm never going to call you that again! Just please don't steal my first kiss!" I panicked. A satisfied grin crossed Purple-head's face then he said, "Don't even think of telling Amu about me…" He said. With a face still as red as a fire truck, I turned my back on him then crossed my arms.

"I won't tell…yet. I still need a personal slave Cross dre-…Purple-head…" I managed to stop myself before spitting out the insult. He shrugged then chuckled, going back into his innocent mode. "Yeah, yeah! Sure!" He laughed.

When he wasn't looking, I let my lips form a genuine smile.

Randomly after that, I asked, "So…what did you lose?"

He took a deep breath then said, "This basketball I found lying around a few days ago"

* * *

"Amu-chi! Rima-tan! Naddy! Look! It's Kukai!" Yaya sqealed as she hurriedly made her way towards the tanned boy. Kukai grinned when he saw the four of us headed towards him (And Yaya was obviously leading…)

"Hi, Kukai!" Amu waved.

Nagihiko, as Nadeshiko, smiled at Kukai then said gently, "Hello, Souma-kun!"

Kukai lightly blushed at the sight of Nadeshiko, making me shift uncomfortably in the place I stood for some odd reason. The sun must really be getting to me now…

"Yo, Fujisaki!" He said, hugging Nadeshiko from behind and messing up her hair for fun. "S-Souma-kun, you're messing up my hair!" He whined in his feminine voice. From the corner of my eye, I saw Amu and Yaya both staring at the two with beaded eyes. At this, I burned. "Kukai, I suppose you don't know that Nadeshiko is actually-"

In one swift movement, Nagihiko broke free from Kukai's arms then draped his hands on my mouth. "W-what was that, Rima-chan? You want me to treat you to _anything_ you'd like? Well why didn't you say so?" He panicked.

You know the odd thing? I felt satisfied when Nagihiko wrapped his arms around me, even if it was to cover my mouth. I reacted how I normally would. I pushed him away then quarreled, "Nadeshiko! I didn't say anything, _Blah blah blah_…

I rambled on, not really knowing what I was saying. I just kept on talking and lecturing him on how he is not supposed to hug me just like that.

"Rima!" Amu stopped me. I stopped then looked at her. "What is it, Amu?"

Amu placed a finger on her forehead then said, "None of us get what you're saying. You're blabbering"

"Yeah…well…"

…_in case you did not know, Amu, Nadeshiko is actually a sadistic boy named Nagihiko! He's a perverted, annoying, gentle-man type and he loves to get on my nerves. I hate him and I always will! I will never entrust him to you, Amu! I will take all the pain of being with him, just so you won't have to endure his annoyingness! This annoying, seductive boy…of course I had to lecture him about how not to wrap his arms around ladies so suddenly and without warning…even if his intention was to just cover your mouth… _

"…I didn't get enough sleep last night so I'm moody over the simplest things…" I said instead.

As if on cue, Amu yawned. "I hadn't had much sleep either! Something was bothering me…" Her face fell. I creased my brows then walked over to her. "What happened?" I asked. Amu curved her lips slightly upward then said in a pained voice, "A cat went to the room and won't leave until I feed it. The thing is I don't have anything to give it…"

"That's harsh, Hinamori. Why not feed it taiyaki from that stall over there?" He said, pointing at the stall. I gave him an Are-you-stupid look but he seemed too dense to even notice me. I turned to Amu and was slightly shocked to see her face light up. "Oh! Great idea, Kukai! I think he'd like the chocolate…" She said as she headed to the stall. Nadeshiko and I sweat-dropped. Taiyaki…for a cat…that is just amusing…

We followed them.

Yaya had suggested that we go to the basketball court to watch a game. We agreed, although Kukai was really pleading us to just go with him to the soccer field, claiming that he's had enough basketball from yesterday; however, Nagihiko put on his 'Nadeshiko sparkly face'. As you've guessed, dear, imaginary audience of mine, he epically fell for it so here we all are, chatting our way to the basketball court, each one holding unto a taiyaki of our favored flavor.

…it's a shame…how they didn't have pocky here…

"Amu!" I smiled, clutching unto Amu's black shirt. Amu turned to me. "Can you and Yaya come to my house for a sleepover after this trip is done? It'll be really fun!" I said, meaning to completely ignore purple-head. Amu gleamed. "That would be fun! Having you, Yaya and Nadeshiko with me for an entire night, playing games like truth or dare and sleeping late!" I frowned then said out loud so Nagihiko could hear, "…but _Nadeshiko_ cannot come because she needs to teach a bunch of younger children from public schools the harms of early pregnancy!"

I smirked when Nadeshiko paled. "Aw! That must really suck, ~nee, Nadeshiko!" Amu said, turning to the freak. Nagihiko stiffened. "Y-yeah it is!" She gulped.

Pity crossed Kukai's face then he said to her, "You know I could take your place so you can-" "You can't take his-her place! She signed a contract saying that she'd have to do that every single day, specifically after school, _specifically_ the time I spend with Amu and _specifically_ every hour and second of the day except for when I am asleep in my house!" I spat. Nadeshiko's face fell while Amu and Yaya stifled laughter. I could've sworn that I heard him whisper to himself in panic, "Then how can I go to school and practice Japanese dance when I have to teach kids that stuff?"

Kukai raised his brows then laughed, wrapping his toned arms around all four of us. "Man! Hinamori and Queen, you two are _totally_ different from what the rumors say!" He chuckled. I couldn't help but smile. It was true. I felt happy because I could actually be true to myself around my new found friends (and nemesis!).

There was one thing, though, that kept on bothering me: None of them have ever seen my character change with Kusukusu nor do they know that I like comedy. I plan to tell Amu soon enough though; that is, when we could find some time alone together…

* * *

I folded my tiny legs under me as I sat on the grass-side of the basketball court. I looked at both sides, making sure that Amu was beside me. When everyone was settled, I started to nibble on my soy bean filled taiyaki. Yaya was munching on her chocolate flavored one and finished it in a few seconds while Kukai gulped unto his then finished it in a few mili-seconds. Amu placed the taiyaki that was in a paper bag and was supposedly to be for her cat's beside her folded legs. "Didn't you buy five? Aren't you going to eat one at least?" I asked. She let her shoulders sag. "The cat is probably _really_ hungry…" She whispered. I frowned. "You expect _one _cat to be able to finish _five_ large taiyakis?" I exclaimed. She vigorously shook her head. "No! You see, this cat is so spoiled and always hungry!"

I wanted to tell her that she was spoiling the cat but her expression stopped me. She was biting her bottom lip with worry as sweat ran down her forehead; her eyes were blurred a bit as a reflection of her confusion and at times she would even mutter inaudible words.

I decided that this cat must be pretty important and the best thing to do now was to leave her at her trail of thoughts. With no other option, I watched the lackluster game of basketball. I was about to fall asleep when my eyes suddenly got fixed to Nagihiko. Little by little, he was leaning closer. Every time someone failed to shoot the ball he would wince. I placed my attention back at the game. A boy with red, spiky hair and brown eyes was now holding onto the ball, ready to shoot.

"Shoot it…shoot it…shoot it…" I heard Nagihiko eagerly whisper from beside me. His back began to tense up and he bawled his fists until they were white. He kept on acting as if shootinng the ball is that simple…

The boy jumped up and the ball repeatedly circled the ring. Nagihiko held his breath while I sat there, bored.

_-WHOOSH!_

The basketball went through the net then the place went wild as the supporters of the winning group cheered while the supporters of the losing group groaned. "They won, huh…" I said in monotone. Nagihiko did not reply so I looked at him. His bangs covered his face as his entire figure trembled. Fear crossed me as I slightly shook him. "Nadeshiko, you okay?" I asked. Yaya and Kukai looked at us. "What happened, Rima-tan?" Yaya asked. "Is she okay?" Kukai questioned.

I tapped him on the shoulder then whispered, "Weren't you rooting for the team that won? Why don't you seem happy?" I asked. He forced a smile.

"What do you mean? I'm not sad or anything, Rima-tan…" He muttered in an…oh, shoot…he forgot to turn on his _Nadeshiko voice_! Is he trying to reveal himself? "Naddy, why is your voice suddenly so low?" Yaya asked. Nagihiko grunted then forced a smile. "What do you mean, Yaya-ta-…" He put on his feminine voice but choked. He bawled his fists tighter then abruptly stood up. "P-please excuse me!" He exclaimed, obviously using every last bit of his lungs to put on he Nadeshiko voice. He dashed off leaving a trail of dust.

Amu, who seemed to have been disturbed from her trail of thoughts, looked at us questioningly. "What happened to her?" She asked. Yaya and Kukai gave me the same questioning look, although they must've seen from my expression that not even I knew.

"_Nagihiko, go fix up your blankets. It's getting in my way! People would trip over it!"_

"_Fujisaki, mind your manners and don't take too long in the bathroom!"_

"_Nagihiko! Don't bash your fangirls behind their backs! That's simply rude!"_

"_Nagihiko Fujisaki, would you PLEASE tell me what all of this is about?" _

I suddenly remembered lecturing him about manners and such. Back then, when I was saying all that stuff, I felt more like a mother, telling her boy what to do and what not to do…

Nadeshiko-most beloved and elegant girl in school, huh…

"Kukai!" I said. Before he managed to reply, I said, "What would you do if you were forced to cross-dress and act like the perfect girl, even if it's just for a month?" I asked. Kukai raised his brows at my sudden question but decided to answer me; he made a disgusted expression. "That SUCKS! It's TORTURE! For a guy to wear skirts and hold back in sports is one of the worst things that could possibly happen in his lifetime! A guy deserves to be a guy!" He exclaimed.

"Why ask…?" He said as an after thought.

"Betsuni…" I muttered slowly making my way after Nagihiko. When I was out of eyesight from my friends, I ran, hoping that I could find him.

I don't know why I'm concerned about purple-head. Maybe it's the motherly instincts as a woman. Nagihiko was like an irresponsible, ill-disciplined kid and, knowing that I may be one of the few that knew his secret, I felt as if I should keep him from trouble.

Recklessly leaving blankets laying around in the middle of the room, being inconsiderate, bashing of women and messing with stuff…I realized that this was something _Nadeshiko _would never do…but _Nagihiko_ would…

_Nadeshiko_ doesn't exist…but _Nagihiko_ does…

…and no one knows about Nagihiko's existence. Everyone…majority of people…have only grown to love Nadeshiko while Nagihiko remains a complete stranger in the society…

I remember that we once had an argument. She told me that 'She was trained by her mother to be the perfect lady', but now that I stop and think about it, would he, a totally reckless guy, actually be happy living his life known as a perfect girl? It didn't seem right…

"Nadeshiko!" I called out.

I stopped then looked around; making sure no one was looking. "_Nagihiko_!" I yelled out his real name. I stopped to listen although I heard nothing.

I stubbornly puffed my cheeks then inhaled. Then I screamed, "CROSS-DRESSING, IDIOTIC, PURPLE-HEADED FREAK! Come out from where you are hiding if you value you're life, GAY-LORD!"

"My, my…that's really insulting, Rima-chan…" I jumped back in surprise then I looked around. "W-where…"

"_Up here…_"

I looked up then gasped when I found a tree towering over me. Nagihiko sat on a branch of the tree that was meters away from the ground. "G-get down from there! You're going to fall off, crack your head and die!" I panicked. He shrugged then simply jumped. I screamed then shut my eyes, hoping that I wouldn't see any of it.

Silence passed and I literally felt like crying.

Was he okay?

How many bones did he break?

Is he still alive?

I badly wanted to bang my head in a rock repeatedly and hope that it was all a bad dream!

Why was he so stupid? Jumping off a tree that high…NO ONE COULD SURVIVE THAT!

I let a sob come out, but that was all I was going to let out. I'm still not ready to see anything…

"_You can…open your eyes…Chibi Devil_…"

My eyes shot wide open and I gasped. Nagihiko was standing right in front of me, with absolutely no bruises whatsoever! I circled him repeatedly and he sweat-dropped. "Stop spinning around me, Rima-tan. You're making me dizzy…" He complained. I stopped when I was positive that he was really unscathed then stomped my feet. "How did you survive the fall?" I demanded. "That tree was nothing. I jump off roofs and trees whenever I feel like it" He shrugged. I froze. This boy…was _definitely_ full of mysteries…

I then took this as a chance to observe him. He wore a black shirt and tight black pants held up by a silver belt; he had his hair let lose, showing most of his masculine face features.

"You're…really a boy…"

He cocked his head at my sudden said. "Didn't you know?"

I nodded. "I knew but…I never really saw how you looked when you're an actual boy…"

He nodded his head in understanding. He sat on a nearby rock then sag his shoulders. "Can you believe we're in a beach? It feels more like a jungle…" He sighed. He does have a point there. Most of the place was covered in grass and cement. The actual sandy beach extended for only a few meters, and though it may disappoint a lot of people, I was glad because I don't need to worry about getting sand on my shoes. "Yeah it does feel like it doesn't it…"

We sat in silence until I asked, "How does it feel?"

"To what…?"

"….to be forced to be a girl everyday; to have to always hold back when you want to just…play?" I cleared.

At this, Nagihiko's eyes widened then he sighed.

"I don't like it" He admitted. "I have to, though. It's a tradition for the Fujisaki family males to dress up as girls while they are young so that they can do female Japanese dances"

Ah. So that's why. That explains…A LOT…

"It must be harsh; Nagihiko doesn't exist in the eyes of other people. They only know you as Nadeshiko when in fact, it's Nadeshiko that doesn't exist…" I muttered.

I awaited his reply.

"…I'm okay with dressing up as a girl. When the time comes, I'm going to tell Amu-chan…everyone…about Nagihiko. It's a small problem that's easy to fix. I don't need the whole school to know. I just need…Amu-chan…to know without hating me…"

I was about to reply but my phone vibrated from under my pockets. I picked it up then looked at my caller ID. It was Amu. A small smile formed my face. At this time, I didn't know what danger my other friends were going through. I answered the phone with a casual hello, yet I didn't expect Amu to reply in screams and sobs.

"Rima!" She sobbed. At this time, I was already panicked over my friend. "Rima…everyone's…everyone's unconscious! After listening to this strange music, they all fell and I'm not even sure if they're still alive! Yaya and Kukai are okay but…Rima…Please help us!" The phone went dead.

* * *

**So here's chapter 8! I hope it trned out well. I was sleepy in the latter parts of this chapter. I finished it late. Anyway, constructive criticism is welcome while flaming is not! Thanks for reading!**


	9. X eggs!

**Chapter 9**

**Hey! Just to get the parings straight, it's Rimahiko (obviously), Amuto, Tadam, Amuhiko, Kaiya, Kutau and Kirima (Kirishima x Rima if you're wondering). That's not **_**totally **_**final, though, since the plot may have a few twists to it then I'd have to add (or cancel) some pairings. Anyway, thanks so much for the feedbacks!**

* * *

"Amu-chi, why did Naddy look sad?" The baby of the small group of friends asked. Kukai furrowed his brows. "I'm positive that something's bothering her" He said. Yaya gave him a 'DUH!' face. "Of course! People are sad when something's bothering them…" Yaya muttered. They all turned to Rima's retreating figure.

'Why do I have this feeling that Rima knows something that I don't?' The pinkette thought with a sigh. Is it just her, or has life been getting a lot more complicated by the day?

Not only was there a lean, perverted cat in her and Yaya's room (And _no_ Yaya doesn't know about it!) Nadeshiko was looking more and more bothered by the day, which was very unusual; Rima's hard shield for emotions was beginning to melt, especially if the topic was about Nadeshiko; Kukai, one of the two school heart-throbs, has become one of their group of friends and they have no idea how it happened.

When did life make such a complicated turn? She hadn't noticed.

"Kukai, Yaya, do you want to follow Ri-" Amu was cut off by the sound of a violin. The way it was played was beautiful, yet sad. "That's a nice music…Amu-chi…" Yaya cooed.

Its melody melted the hearts of the three. For some reason, it made them feel dull. It was beautiful yet it was sad.

'_Yes, it's beautiful, but there was something odd about it…'_

The music halted for awhile and as if on cue, a basketball player landed on his knees then fell forward. Amu saw this and gasped then ran towards the boy with Kukai and Yaya following close behind. She grabbed the boy then shook him vigorously. "Hey! Wake up!" She yelled.

"Don't just stand around and do nothing! Help your team-mate!" She heard Kukai scream at another player. She looked over her shoulder then saw him arguing with the boy who shot the ball. His brown eyes were glassy and dull; his expression was like a zombie's. Everything Kukai was saying seemed to go through one ear to the other. At his blank expression, Kukai was enraged then grabbed him on the shoulder. Without warning, the boy, too fell flat on the floor. Kukai gasped and Yaya exclaimed, "Kukai! What did you do?"

With fear and worry etched all over his face, he exclaimed, "I swear I did nothing!"

…

…

"…I hope…" He added.

The violin made another tune and everyone in the entire beach went limp. Amu turned distressed as bodies of people started falling over.

'_Were they dead?'_

A boy, who was probably standing beside Yaya, fell on her. The weight against Yaya's slightly weak body caused her to lose balance then fall forward. She tried to stand up but her legs were paralyzed from shock. With traumatized eyes, she turned to Amu then said in panic, "Amu-chi! Are Rima-tan and Naddy okay?"

Amu gasped then abruptly reached for her phone. She called Rima since she would always have a phone with her. Rima answered with a casual "Hello". Amu was glad, knowing that Rima and Nadeshiko were okay yet totally oblivious to what was going on.

A girl grabbed the pinkette's shoulder, making her gasp and scream. When she turned, the girl fell.

"Rima!" Amu sobbed hysterically. At this time, Amu was already bawling. "Rima…everyone's…everyone's unconscious! After listening to this strange music, they all fell and I'm not even sure if they're still alive! Yaya and Kukai are okay but…Rima…Please help us-" Amu was about to say something else but because of shock and trembling hands, she involuntarily dropped the phone.

She wondered why she had called onto her other friends. Something told her that they would be of great help but what would they all do when they got there.

"Amu-chan!"

Ran, Miki and Su went hurling towards Amu. Behind them was the familiar cat chara who currently looked excruciated. "Amu-chan!" The three cried again once they reached the pinkette and immediately hugged as many parts of her face with their tiny size.

"You girls...What's going on?" Amu hoped that her charas would know. Miki stepped in. "We can feel the heart's egg of everyone being tainted…" She cried. "T-tainted?" She exclaimed. Yaya went to Amu then whispered, "Amu-chan, Kukai's going to think you're talking to yourself"

"Nah! That's okay!" Ran said, flying over to Kukai who locked his gaze on her. "He has a chara too!"

"WHAT?" The two girls exclaimed. "Y-you never told us, Kukai!" Yaya cried with a tantrum. Kukai shrugged. "I didn't know you had a chara. I have Daichi here in my bag" He said, opening his bag. A chara with green, spiky hair, golden eyes and a spunky style winked at them. Immediately, Miki swooned.

"_Muri" "Muri" "Muri"_

Everyone stiffened then reluctantly turned around. They immediately found themselves surrounded by millions of black eggs with X's in the middle. "W-what are these?" Amu cried. Yaya immediately bawled while Kukai brought on a game face. "Can you guys feel the adrenaline rush?" Kukai smirked. Amu and Yaya gawked at him. "Y-you actually like this, Kukai?" Amu panicked. The boy gave the two girls his oh-so-famous thumbs-up.

"Yup! Hey, don't look at me like that. This is no biggie! The people here are not dead. The music must've forced their heart's eggs to be extracted from them" "Can we even fix this? If so, how can we?" Amu finally regained composure and was now in her right mind to cooperate. She furrowed her brows at the eggs in determination. "That's easy…" Kukai glanced at the pinkette, his lips forming a grin. Everyone's full attention was now fixated on him as they waited for his strategy, their hearts beating with hope and their foreheads dripping in sweat. The silence was prolonged…and prolonged. Finally, Amu let out an exasperated sigh, knowing what this silence meant. She turned to Kukai then muttered, "You don't have a plan, don't you"

Kukai sweat-dropped. "I don't" He squeaked.

"WAH! Kukai, you got Yaya's hopes up for nothing!" Yaya said, hitting him repeatedly on the head. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" He squeaked.

"Amu!"

The innocent voice called from behind. With glad faces, everyone turned to Rima and Nadeshiko. They abruptly stopped when they saw the sky filled with mysterious eggs. "W-what happened?" Nadeshiko asked, his hair that was now in its usual ponytail bobbed as he asked the question.

"Everyone, now's not the time to be hesitating! Amu-chan! Character change! Hop! Step! Jump!" Ran cried.

"Amu!" Rima cried. Kukai furrowed his brows then turned to Daichi. "Kukai, character change!" A skateboard appeared from under his feet then he used the toy to fly after x eggs with great speed while trying to bring them to one place. Amu did the same. After a few minutes of trying, the eggs were already gathered in one spot.

'_I'm not _good enough…'

'_I can't tell my parents how I feel…'_

'_I will never do well in school…'_

'_Basketball just never really was my thing…'_

Voices from the eggs owners seemed to whisper unto Amu. The pinkette tried to shake her head to rid of the voices yet they were getting stronger. "W-what's with these hopeless voices…?" She asked no one in particular. "…all this…hopeless murmurs…"

'_I can't be who I am'_

'_No one will accept my true self…'_

"Stop it! All those worthless comments! You're all only bringing yourself down! You can do so much but you've just got to believe in yourself and never give up!"

The egg's owners became quiet after Amu's little speech. All eggs turned to her; they were waiting for her to do something but they didn't know what.

'_What now…?'_ Amu thought to herself. She clenched her fists then gulped.

"Ran…what's with this sudden feeling at the pit of my stomach…?"

She felt herself being engulfed in some bright light. She gasped as she felt herself being pulled deeper. All of a sudden, she found herself face-to-face with Ran, who was smiling widely. "Ran, what's going on?" She asked. The pink chara grinned wider then said, "It's Charanari!" Those were her last words she said before she entered her egg. Amu tried to reach out and grab her chara, but she disappeared into Amu's chest. "What the-" She mused.

She felt this beautiful sensation as she fell back, the bright lights catching her; this feeling…wherein you could just forget about all your problems…

A pink cheerleading outfit popped on her. At that point, she somehow knew what she was going to have to do. As the transformation stopped she yelled out, "Charanari: Amulet Heart!"

Amu landed on her feet, dazed. When she found the strength to move around, she looked at herself. "W-why am I wearing this? It's so embarrassing!" She screeched. The rest of her friends only watched with wide and shocked eyes as Amu began to panic and ask to no one in particular what had just happened.

"It's Charanari!" The charas yelled.

"Amu-chan, fly!"

Amu bounced on her feet then came face-to-face with the many X eggs. She didn't know why; it must've been Ran or instincts but she knew what she had to do. Using the lock that came with the transformation, she put her hands in a heart-shaped form. She smirked then started, "Negative Heart: Lock on!"

The eggs all stiffened in panic. A smile was immediately plastered on Amu's face as a huge, pink beam of light hurled towards the black eggs. "Open Heart!"

Rima, Nadeshiko, Kukai and Yaya just had to cover their eyes as the entire beach became covered with a bright light. "It's…too…strong…" Rima gasped. Nagihiko shrugged, his eyes still shut tight. "You're just weak, Chibi-Devil-san!"

When the light vanished, everyone had opened their eyes only to see the eggs turn back into their original form. They all watched in awe as the now white egg flew to different directions to get to their owner's hearts. Amu let out the sigh she didn't even know she was holding then wiped away the sweat from her forehead with her arm. It was then the she noticed how high up from the ground she was. She screeched then panicked as Ran tried to calm her down though it didn't make any difference. From all the panicking and loss of believe in her, the Charanari was undone making Amu be unable to fly.

Time seemed to slow down as Amu fell, her body twisting and turning in panic. A blurred image of Amu's body limp and broken from the fall flashed through everyone's minds. Kukai tried to get to her before she could have an impact but you could tell that there was not enough time. He was too far from her.

'_No! This can't happen!' _Rima thought.

Amu was her only friend; the only person in this world whom she could really rely on!

"AMU!" Everyone cried.

A blurred image went past them, hurriedly making its way below Amu. When it stopped, it turned out to be Tadase. His breath was uneven from running.

He brought out a staff and a yellow blob eloped from it. Everyone watched in awe as Amu safely landed on it, bouncing up and down since the blob was somehow like jell-o. She blinked in bewilderment as her friends and charas breathed a sigh of relief. When the blob returned to his staff, Amu fell and landed on his arms, making her be held by Tadase bridal style.

Amu flushed as the 'prince' gazed at her.

"Are you okay?" He asked, bringing her to her feet. "H-h-ha-ha-hai!" She sputtered.

Clomps were heard as the group made their way towards Amu. Of course, Yaya just _had_ to glomp her then bawl. "Amu-chi, daijoubou?"

A little smile formed Amu's face. "Yes. Thanks for being worried, everyone…"

"Of course I was worried, Amu! You're my friend!" Rima screamed.

Amu turned to Rima, who was already red from holding back tears. "R-Rima?" She exclaimed. She kneeled so she was the height of the blonde. Her expression softened as she said, "I'm sorry for worrying you…"

Rima smiled genuinely then glazed at Amu. "Just…don't worry me that much again, Amu…" She sighed. Amu laughed then pulled Rima into a hug.

She smiled at the sensation then hugged back. Amu has always been there for her. She just couldn't help but worry. Why else would she be so protective of Amu? The twosome's moment was immediately ruined, though, by a pair of pale hands wrapping itself around Rima's waist. Instinctively, Rima stiffened as Nadeshiko (Nagihiko) hugged her from behind. "I was worried about you too, Rima-tan, so can I hug you like this just like Amu-chan did?" She teased.

Yaya and Kukai beamed, totally oblivious of Nadeshiko's true gender.

Tadase paled.

An agitation mark popped out of Rima's forehead as she stiffly pushed the boy away then exclaimed, "Don't just go hugging me from behind, _Nadeshiko_!"

"But Rima-chan…" Nagi pouted. Rima glared at him. "No buts-" "_But_ why does Amu-chan have permission to do it? Do you still consider me your rival to her friendship, hmm?" Nagihiko put on his cutest, most feminine voice as he swayed his head from side to side. ("Hmm, Rima? What's she talking about?" Amu asked). Rima stomped her feet then yelled, "It's because Amu's a gi-…" Nagihiko panicked as Rima almost let it slip. It was a good thing she stopped herself just in time.

There's no way she was going to let it slip just yet.

"What happened…?"

Everyone turned their heads, only to realize that the source of the voice came from the ocean of people who just recovered from being unconscious.

* * *

**Wow. Is it just me or has this chapter turned out shorter than the others. This chapter didn't contain much Rimahiko, didn't it? I think this is mainly focused on their discovery of x eggs; this is an AU, after all, so they didn't know about x eggs before. **

**Also, if it's not too late, Rima's a little older here (Just by telling you that, I bet you can estimate the age of the other characters). I just couldn't make her the same age as the original anime or it'll be **_**so**_** innocent. That way, I can't make as much Rimahiko fluff and I know that we all want fluff!**

**Constructive criticism is appreciated! (So are other comments! LOL)**


	10. The lonely song: Meikyuu Butterfly

**Chapter 10**

**Hey! Kirishima appears in this chapter, although his role isn't that big. I tried to make more Rimahiko here, and hopefully, there's enough (Not too much, though)**

**BTW, I made a one-shot inspired from GenuineSparklez's 'I'll Love you, in the day and night (actually, I'm not sure if I should say inspired seeing that it's almost exactly like her story) The one I made is 'One Snowy Night' so feel free to read it OR hers. Anyway you like.**

**Anyway, on with the story!**

**~~~~~~~~Rima's POV~~~~~~~~**

"Rima-chan…"

"Rima-chan…"

I groaned then flew the pillow over my ear as some alien voice tried to wake me up. "Rima-chan…"

I groaned once again, realizing that the alien voice was actually Nagihiko's. I felt his soft hands rub against my legs as he brought his hand over to my shoulder to slightly shake me. At the contact, my face heated up and I immediately tried to cool it down by taking in deep breaths.

"Rima-chan" He said.

I held my breath as I felt his face slightly inching towards mine.

His long, indigo hair made a whooshing sound as he leaned closer to me.

"Rima-chan…" He whispered.

I groaned, pretending to be bothered by him. I heard him sigh. Immediately, he brought his lips only a few centimeters from my ears as he murmured, "Rima-tan, wake up"

I groaned again, yet I was slightly enjoying his long, silky and (surprisingly) soft hair playing against my bare skin as his face was only a few centimeters from me. Even in the morning, his breath smelt like mint.

When I realized that I was starting to blush, I turned to the other side of the bed then dug my face under the pillow. "Leave me to my sleep, Cross-dresser!"

When I called him that, I immediately regretted it as I felt him jump on me. My eyes shot wide open, only to see him on top of me, smirking and obviously enjoying my terrified expression. "Na-Na…" I choked on my own words, slightly startled by the sudden turn of events. When he started to lean down, I found my voice.

Impulsively, I pushed him away, making him fall to the ground then I screamed, "NAGIHIKO YOU PERVERT!"

Nagihiko was rubbing his head, with a satisfied grin playing cross his lips.

I was alert, standing on my knees while holding unto a pillow as a form of shield from him. Nagihiko stood up and I shrunk behind the pillow. He chuckled; I never noticed how cute his chuckle was.

"Don't worry. I have no intention of raping you. I was simply trying on different tactics to wake you and…this one seems to work. I'll be waking you that way from now on!" He laughed, flipping his long hair with pride. I gawked at him as he stood there.

"I can't believe you!" I exclaimed. "Well…" He sighed. "…it's not my fault girls value their first kiss"

"Nagihiko you-…" I sent the pillow hurling towards him, yet he caught it with his hand with absolutely no effort evident. I glared at him then muttered a low-growled, "Baka…"

He laughed again then handed me my bag. I just looked at it with curiosity. "Why give me my bag?" I asked. He raised a brow at me then said, "Today's the last day of the trip. We need to get packing because tomorrow morning, we're leaving"

I nodded, slightly disappointed. I was starting to enjoy having him as a room-mate. WAIT! That's because I WANT a personal slave! It's not because I'm starting to LIKE having him around, okay?

* * *

Me, Nagihiko (Currently as Nadeshiko), Kukai and Tadase were sitting in the said meeting place. I slightly tapped my foot impatiently. I wanted to see Amu today, ASAP.

"Minna!"

We all looked, only to see Yaya, with Amu's three charas beside her, coming into view. I stood up first then walked over to Yaya, a question already in mind. "Where's Amu?" I asked dully. Yaya cocked her head then said sadly, "After entering the cottage yesterday, Amu-chi looked sad. Until now she still looks sad; Yaya doesn't know what happened!"

My brows creased with worry. Could she actually be worrying about the events that took place yesterday?

I felt a finger flick me by the shoulder. When I turned, Nagihiko was pointing at a specific direction. I darted my eyes to where he was pointing, only to see a _very_ dull, pale, eye-bugged and depressed Amu. The two of us raced towards _my_ best-friend then started patting her on the back. "Are you okay, Amu?" I asked. Amu turned to me, and you could imagine that if this were an anime, her soul must be escaping her lips.

"Yeah…"

"What happened, Amu-chan?" Nadeshiko asked in pure concern. I glared at the purple-head, only to have him flinch. Amu must've failed to notice this because she went on, "My cat ran away…"

Is it just me, or did the last syllables of the word 'away' seem to be echoing despite the open ocean?

Tadase went forward then held Amu's hand. "Don't worry, Hinamori-san! At least you helped the cat when it was injured! You are a great girl!"

Nagihiko and I chuckled as Amu went different shades of red. "O-okay, T-T-T-T-Ta-Ta-Ta-Ta-Tada-Tadase K-k-ku-kun!" She stuttered, her mouth moving like a jet. I smiled when I saw that Amu was starting to smile again, despite her strange expression when I first saw her this morning. She seemed to have regained spunk, because next thing I knew, Yaya and I were being dragged into the surfing booth.

While I was dressing up behind the wooden door, I heard footsteps approaching. At first I didn't care until I realized that they were actually Nagihiko and Tadase.

"Listen, Hotori-kun" Nagihiko didn't disguise his voice anymore around the school prince. He already knew and, according to Nagihiko, he had a huge reaction after finding out.

Even without seeing, I could already tell that Tadase was nodding as a signal for Nagihiko to go on.

"…about what you did to Amu-chan just a little while ago; don't do it again if you're that much of a playboy. It will only bring her hopes up and I swear- no matter how well a friend I consider you to be- I'll beat the hell out of you if you if you break her heart" He said. For some reason, when he said that, a sudden pang passed me. I fell over from shock.

…it must be the heat that's giving me these strange side-effects. This must only mean that I should keep away from the heat if I don't want to have this sudden, heavy feeling in my heart that makes tears well up my eyes.

What Tadase said next really shocked me. "Fujisaki-kun…do you like Hinamori-san?"

I held back tears then slammed the door open, not minding the fact that I was in my plain, purple one piece in front of two guys. Nagihiko and Tadase jump in surprise. Despite the heavy feeling in my heart, I forced a smile then said, "Hi"

My eyes widened when I realized my voice was croaked.

What is it, like, 100 degrees in here? I don't feel as hot, though; in fact, the winds really picking up. Maybe this side-effect is actually from being exposed to too much cold…

"R-Rima-chan, why do you look like you're about to collapse?" Nagihiko asked in astonishment. I flinched in embarrassment.

"No! I'm just not good with heat or cold. It really has this weird side-effect on me, you know…" I snapped.

I slyly walked away, my chest still feeling heavy as the two boys silently eyed me. When I got out to the sandy part of he beach (Specifically where lots of people were gathered) my fanboys swooned.

They all screamed and sqealed as I tried to pick the nine-foot surf board off the shelf. "It's heavy…" I grunted. Of course, no one bothered to help me since they were enjoying _'Rima-sama trying hard to pull out a gigantic board with her oh-so adorable figure is just so kawaii!'_

A bunch of other people were looking at Amu, amazed at her bathing suit. She wore a black, lacy one piece with violet roses printed all over it. Her usual x clip was replaced by a black, goth-punk ribbon and on her wrist was a bracelet shaped as a bat. "Even if she's just going to swim, Hinamori-senpai is looking just as marvelous!" One specific voice off the crowd squealed. (Seiichiro…) Amu and I thought.

"She's so Cool n' Spicy!" The rest of the crowd cooed.

Yaya came out of her dressing closet wearing a baby pink and frilly bathing suit that had a cherry design in the middle of it. Although she wasn't as popular as the rest of us, she was starting to have fans (Mostly in her batch. These are the people that admired her cheerful personality). "Yahoo! Amu-chi! Rima-tan!" She cheered. Amu and I waved at her and she smiled.

"Look! That's Yaya-senpai! She's so sweet, isn't she? She balances the group of populars! Rima-sama's passive and cute, Amu-senpai's cool n' spicy, Fujisaki-san's nice and elegant and Yaya-senpai's happy and peppy!"

There was a fourth group of fans that contained a majority of boys although some girls were also there, standing in the Nadeshiko Fujisaki fan section. I flinched then turned away. Although he looks like a girl at that very moment, I could still see Nagihiko. Also, just because he's a guy with mostly guy features, he decides not to join in the surfing! He was seated under an umbrella, a couple of feet away from us. When he saw me giving him a death glare, he gulped then hid his face behind the book he was reading.

"Kyaa! Fujisaki-san's so lady-like!" The girls screamed in envy. The guys, however, simply surrounded him with heart-shaped eyes.

Amu and Yaya had already abandoned me and headed towards the coach while I tried to carry the board. Is it just me, or has it only been moving a few centimeters each minute? When the coach, who looked like he was around our age, saw me, he jogged towards my direction. I looked down at my board, slightly embarrassed for being such a burden.

"Hey! You need help with that?" He asked. I gasped, still looking down. This boy, whoever he may be, didn't sputter or act like those other deranged fanboys. "Y-yes…" I muttered. The boy leaned down to look at me. "You're Rima Mashiro, right?" He asked. I noticed his brown-red eyes boring into mine. I nodded then he smiled. "You're nicer than I thought. Other people told me to be careful around you. Boys say that you easily reject and hurt them. Looks like their theory was wrong, seeing that you hardly spat at me"

At this, I blushed. I took a deep breath and when I had gained enough courage, I looked up at the boy, only to have my eyes grow wide. Why did he look…so familiar?

"What's your name?" I asked. He cocked his head in confusion due to my sudden question. "I'm…Kirishima Fuyuki…" He replied. I thought about this for awhile. Even his name sounded familiar…

"Tell me, Fuyuki-kun…" I started. He looked at me, waiting for me to continue. I sighed then asked, "Not that I actually want you to. I'm just curious. Why didn't you go on fan-boy mode?" At my question, he blushed. "T-that's because I…am already in-love with this girl from back then. She…was my childhood friend"

"Where is she?" I asked.

He sweat-dropped. "I-I don't know! I don't even remember how she looks like! All I remember is her always smiling face and positive attitude. One day, though, she moved away without saying good-bye; she left right after I confessed. Until now, I still don't know how she felt for me back then…"

I stared at him in awe. Finally, I said, "There's no use clinging unto the person who was long gone. Don't you think that it's probably time to move on?" I replied. He furrowed his brows then got my board. "C-come on, Mashiro-san! I suppose it's time to teach you how to surf…" He said. I traced his footsteps, completely aware that he had meant to change the subject.

A few minutes after telling me the rules of surfing and how to stand up on the board, I was going into the wavy ocean. Since I was far too petite to carry my own board, he carried it for me. I glanced at my back to see all my fanboys swooning and crying, "Rima-sama is going to surf!"

I was about to look away but my eyes caught Nagihiko, who was sitting under an umbrella in a plain white dress with absolutely no cleavages. He was frowning at me, making me feel a pang of pain. I didn't know why I felt this way when he looked mad at me. Now I'm sure that the sun must REALLY be getting into me…

…besides. I don't even know why he's mad; I didn't do anything (too mean) to him. It's not like I care if he's mad, or even if he's _dead_.

I silently gasped when I thought that. Wasn't that going over-board?

"Here's a good one" Kirishima said. I looked behind me then saw a wave. Kirishima pushed me so I was going at the same speed. My eyes widened. "W-what do I do?" I exclaimed. Yaya had taken the same wave although she was a few meters away from me and fell immediately. Amu took the one after this. We all had our own coaches. Amu got an ordinary guy; it must be hard for her- having to act cool when she couldn't even stand on the board while Yaya got a classmate she's pretty close with.

"Stand up, Mashiro-san!" Kirishima called. I tried to stand up but fell over. ("She fell! How adorable!" My fanboys cried) I felt the next wave bury me under and my long board got ahead of me. When I bobbed my head up, I groaned when I felt my long hair already straightened up and messed up from being wet. "That was okay. It was your first wave after all. Let's try to get the next one!" He smiled. I nodded then pulled the board along with me. This time, I could actually hold it. Yaya looked from me and Kirishima then smirked. Why do I have this feeling that she's planning to pair us up?

"This one…" Kirishima smiled as a small wave headed towards me. He pushed me again and I hysterically screamed. "Stand up like how I told you to!" He yelled. I gasped then tried to stand, shutting my eyes and pinching my nose in case I fall over again. I never fell, and I ended up standing on the board ("She's standing! That's our Queen!"). This was my first and probably last wave. I smiled at the feeling of adrenaline rush and just stood on the board until I got to the shore.

Kirishima came running to me. "Nice ride!" He gave me a thumbs-up.

I was still in a daze, staring off into space. His face then looked panicked. "Hey! You okay?" He shook me, although I didn't feel myself budge.

I heard footsteps. "Is she okay?" Said that oh-so-familiar-feminine-voice; Nagihiko…

"I think she hit her head…"

I did not hit my head! I'm probably in statue mode right now because it felt so good! I've never felt anything so active my entire life! My first ride…

"Why did you not take good care of her, Kirishima-kun…?" I could feel Nadeshiko glare at Kirishima. From beside me, I felt Kirishima flinch.

"That was…" I choked out. Nadeshiko and Kirishima abruptly turned to me. "Are you okay, Rima?" I heard Nadeshiko's desperate voice. I felt a tint of pink on my cheeks when he called me by my first name. "Mashiro-san?" Kirishima blabbered. "That was…" I choked again. Both boys eagerly stared at me. Finally, I flung my arms across Kirishima's waist. I felt his arms heat up. "That was shugoi, Kirishima-kun! Can we have another round tomorrow?" I screamed happily. Yaya smirk while Amu gasped. I couldn't see Nagihiko's reaction because I had my back on him as I was embracing Kirishima.

"M-Mashiro-san…" Kirishima stuttered.

He was about to say something else but then a black van halted and caught the attention of many people for some odd reason.

"Who's that?" I asked, pulling away from Kirishima. When I looked at his face, I gasped. "Oh my…" I muttered. His face was jet-beat red. I tip-toed then felt his forehead and he was really hot. I should've thought twice before hugging him.

From the van came out a blonde teenage girl, her hair tied up into two twin-tails.

"It's HER?"

_Who's she?_

"Omigod! You're right! I saw her on TV!"

_Then why would a pop star be here on the beach?_

Millions of legs raced towards the van until it was completely surrounded.

"IT'S UTAU HOSHINA!"

_WHO?_

Nagihiko grabbed my shoulder then dragged me away just in time because when I looked back at where I once stood, an ocean of people were already surrounding the entire place. I would've been squished and pushed around, considering how small my frame was. Worry immediately crossed my face. "Where's Kirishima-kun?" I wondered. Nagihiko coughed then said, "He probably got kicked around already…"

I sighed. "Oh well. He can manage"

The musical of a familiar song started to play. People cheered repeatedly while pumping their fists into the air. The twin-tailed celebrity took a deep breath then sang.

_Open your shiny eyes in the silent night  
fushigi na yoru maiorita  
ashioto tatezu shinobiyoru  
nayamashi ge na kuro neko no poozu__…_

tsuki akari o se ni ukabu shiruetto  
'kocchi e oide' to hohoende temaneki

…

…

I gasped then tugged on Nagihiko's sleeves. "I know that song!" I watched in awe as the twin-tail continued to sing. I always listen to this song when I'm in my bedroom and feeling lonely. This song also has a lonely feeling about it.

I watched in silence as the song proceeded. When it was starting to reach its finale, I couldn't help but feel that something was about to happen.

…_mitsumenaide tsukamaenaide  
mayoikonda batafurai  
negai matoi tobitatsu mienai hane  
kakushiteru no anata no mune no oku_

The girl pointed at the crowd and I noticed how the eyes of everyone went dull. A threatening silence followed.

Just then, the very same black eggs from yesterday eloped from their chests. "W-what is going on?" I screamed. Nagihiko grabbed my arm then dragged me away from the crowd, who currently seemed hopeless. "We can't do much right now. We'll try and look for Amu-chan and-…" "Don't you dare mention Amu's name around me, Fujisaki! And since when did you act like we're friends? You're my enemy; my rival to Amu's friendship!"

Nagihiko flinched at my outburst.

"Rima! Nadeshiko!"

We heard the familiar voices of our friends call out. I ran past Nagihiko then stood on my toe so I cold hug Amu by her torso. I shouldn't forget that right now, she's all that I have. "Amu…it's those x eggs…" I watched as the blonde twin-tailed pop star gathered all the eggs and put them in a box.

"Amu…I think we need to cleanse them…" I murmured.

"…that means we have to go against Utau Hoshina…" She continued.

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*WOOT* Go Utau!

Anyway, reviews and constructive criticism is very much welcome! I hope this chapter turned out to be well. Don't worry, though, if you're an Ikuto fan. There WILL be a love triangle for Amu, but I'm sure that I already mentioned the pairings a few chapters ago.


	11. I Regret Knowing Her Secret

**Chapter 11**

**Omigod! Hell week (A.K.A Exam Week) is finally OVER! I'm free to update!**

**So…um…sorry I haven't updated in awhile. This one's a little short, and it's something I've been writing ever since I finished chapter 10. It's…my eighth attempt and so far, this is the best I've come up with (I know, my "BEST" sucks, right?)**

**Anyway, this chapter's shorter than others. Hardly anything happened here so I'll try to update my next one faster, but I won't rush. Just like this one (Sorry! But I sweat my seven attempts before this was **_**really **_**bad!)**

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_We heard the familiar voices of our friends call out. I ran past Nagihiko then stood on my toe so I cold hug Amu by her torso. I shouldn't forget that right now, she's all that I have. "Amu…it's those x eggs…" I watched as the blonde twin-tailed pop star gathered all the eggs and put them in a box._

_"Amu…I think we need to cleanse them…" I murmured._

_"…that means we have to go against Utau Hoshina…" She continued._

**~~~~~~~~Rima's POV~~~~~~~~**

Let's have a little flashback of Kusukusu's birth:

Nothing much has changed since then. Like usual, I was shaped as a ball as I hugged myself as small as possible in the large couch by the living room. Behind me, screams and curses were very audible

Like usual, my parents were fighting over who loves me more while I sat there in my little corner feeling oh-so-lonely. Seriously! Their words no longer matter. They tell each other how much they love me, so why can't I feel their warmth? It was annoying

Like usual, I felt lonely. In times like these, I didn't want to move. I was drained and I don't even have the guts to go to my room so at least my parent's cruel words would be muffled by the door and walls.

This time, though, I had this strange and strong desire to make a change. I have been enduring mama and papa's endless quarrels far too long.

I took a deep breath then tried to stand. My little legs were wobbly from fear at first, but when I thought about having enough of this, courage returned. I trembled to my father's side then tugged on his blazer.

"Papa…mama…stop fighting. It's hurting me…" I sobbed. My parents stopped and looked at me for awhile. Their attention on me felt so nice, even if they were giving me the 'stop-butting-in' look. It's the first time in about a month that their eyes were on me. When my father opened his mouth to speak, I bit my lip, knowing that their pretty eyes on me was about to waver away any second now.

"Rima, go to your room" And with that, both once again had their backs turned to me.

I sighed in defeat. Before the _incident_, both mama and papa would only turn their backs on me when they're about to leave the house for work. They always had a smile before leaving and would even kiss me on the forehead or cheeks before saying goodbye.

Now, they've kept their backs on me nearly every second of the day. The seconds of the day their backs were on me were once the seconds of the day we spend family time together.

I was about to speak some more but some force took all my courage away in a split second. Instinctively, I dragged myself to my room the balled myself on the bed. Tears threatened to roll down my cheeks so I immediately clasp my hands together.

"_Please…"_ I muttered, not really knowing who I was praying to.

"_Please…I want to smile again…"_ I sighed.

When I opened my eyes, a weird, colorful egg was floating before me. I would think that it was a toy but when I poked it, it was warm. I nearly screamed when the egg cracked and opened, revealing a small, clown, human-like figure.

"~Rima! I'm Kusukusu, your shugo chara! I'm your desire to smile again!"

When Kusukusu was born, I knew some new and exciting things were about to happen.

Of course, I didn't know that these '_new and exciting_' experiences involved things such as character changes, character transformations, threatened by some pop star and…

…being chased and trapped by a bunch of black and evil mutated x eggs with the one person I hate the most:

_Nagihiko_

_

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_

I blushed when I felt Nagihiko's silky hair on my cheeks.

"G-get away from me, purple-head!" I screeched. Nagihiko sighed then said, not bothering to disguise his voice since everyone was out of ear-shot, "Wow…"

An agitation mark made its way to my forehead. "What do you mean 'Wow'?" I grunted

"You're still not going to thank me for saving you not too many seconds ago?" He gave me that innocent sparkle of his. I turned away so I can easily resist.

"No! If you hadn't saved me, then maybe I would be trapped with a bunch of black, mutated x eggs _with Amu_!" I made sure to emphasize _my_ best friend's name. Nagihiko gave me a crooked smile.

"Correction: You would be _headless _and trapped with a bunch of black, mutated x eggs with Amu"

I groaned. "Now's not the time for correction, Mr. I-know-everything! You don't even have a right, seeing that you _don't even have a chara_!" I taunted. Nagihiko narrowed his eyes then said, "I _do _have a chara. Unfortunately, I can't use him since I'm in Nadeshiko mode"

My eyes widened and I immediately turned to him. "You have a chara?" I exclaimed. Nagihiko cringed then nodded. "Yes…although it's a _very_ bad idea to take him along…"

I finally got where this was going. "Your chara…looks like a dude…?"

"Yes, and he's a total flirt" He said, not bothering to hide the shame in his voice. I giggled at the thought. All of a sudden, I couldn't help but smile at the thought of a play-boyish Nagihiko…

"Rima-tan, look out!" I felt his hand grab me by the arm. He had once again pulled me away before the mutated egg's blast could hit me. "What do you say…?" He smirked. I gave in. "Thank you…" I pouted. He laid his hand on my hair then started to gently pat it.

"That's a good chibi devil-san!"

"Baka!"

Nagihiko and I were both taken away from the rest of the group. Basically, I don't know how Amu and the rest are doing and to be honest, I feel sort of scared, seeing that character changing with Kusukusu would do us no good and this bunch of mutated x egg's closing in on us.

Utau got us into this mess. I think it was her intention to separate us. She probably thinks that we're invincible when as a group. Boy is she wrong. All this time Amu, Kukai and Tadase's been fighting off x eggs, I've been drinking up a nice hot cocoa. Nagihiko must've seen how terrified I was, because his arms had once again snaked its way around my hips.

"Rima-tan, don't be scared. If you're with me, you'll be safe!" He breathed in my ear. My face warmed up as I pushed him away.

"Aww, Rima-tan! Don't be like that! It's not everyday I get to be a boy!"

"I never should've figured it out!" I regret being smart enough to figure out _Nadeshiko's_ secret…

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**See? Didn't I tell you it was short? I'm having a hard time making the beginning. Hopefully I get it!**

**So…um…you could go on and click on that 'lil button that says 'Review this Chapter'. I swear it switches colors when your mouse passes by it; from blue it becomes red! Now…touch it and see what magical thing it does!**

**Haha! I should shut up now. It's your choice whether you touch the magical button or not.**


	12. First Battle, Eloping, Alien Abduction?

**Chapter 12**

**Hey there! You read chapter ten, right? Notice how Rima didn't change out of her bathing suit? Let's just say that she wrapped a plain, orange sarong around her body.**

**Note* ****A ****sarong**** is a length of fabric, often wrapped around the waist and worn as a kilt by men and as a skirt by women throughout much of South Asia, Southeast Asia, the Arabian Peninsula, the Horn of Africa, and on many Pacific islands. This is according to Wikipedia.**

**~~~~~~~~Rima's POV~~~~~~~~**

"The mutated eggs are closing in on us!" I screeched. Nagihiko placed me behind him then glared at the eggs.

"Do you think they'll hit us with their energy blast?" I whimpered.

"Yup. Rima-tan, give me your sarong!" He extended his hands towards me, his eyes never leaving the x eggs. I blushed then hugged the piece of cloth that covered me up. "Pervert!" I screamed.

"Rima-tan! Would you rather lose your head?" He questioned. I bit my lip then used my bangs to cover my very red face.

"But if I take it off, then I'll only be in my swimsuit with no cover-ups!" I whimpered. Nagihiko sighed then finally darted his eyes away from the mutated black eggs, to me. "Rima-tan, I've been staring at you in your swimsuit the whole time you were surfing so there's really not much difference"

"What?" I cried out.

Evil purple-head smirked then tugged at the hem of my sarong. "Please! I've got a plan!"

I hesitated, took it off then reluctantly handed it to him. "H-here!" I stammered. He chuckled then got the cloth.

I watched with curiosity as he shaped it into a bag.

When I saw around five eggs hurling towards him, as if wanting to tackle him, my heart somehow skipped a few beats.

"Nagihiko! Look out!" I instinctively yelled. A grin plastered its way to his face and he abruptly faced the eggs with the bag's opening turned wide. As they hurled closer, he extended the bag and caught the eggs with it.

"Hey! My plan worked!" He cheered, squeezing the bag's opening to keep the eggs from escaping. A feeling of relief washed over me, and I'm not sure if it's from the thought that he's okay, or if it's because I'm glad, knowing that fighting in my purple swimsuit alone was worth it.

Nagihiko did the same thing with the other eggs while I only watched in amusement. Also, I'm wondering how the mutated x eggs can't break out when they have this dark, energy blast. Maybe the blast was actually too weak to break out of a piece of cloth…

I heard Nagihiko flick his tongue as more eggs started to gather around us. "There wasn't enough space in the bag" He said murderously. I started to back away in fear as a dark aura surrounded him.

"Rima! Nadeshiko!"

Nagihiko and I looked up, only to see Amu in the form of Amulet Heart. I smiled then waved around frantically. "Amu!" I cried. The murderous aura that once surrounded Nagihiko was immediately replaced by sparkles as he cocked his head, just to look cute then said, turning on the high, Nadeshiko soprano, "Perfect timing as always, Amu-chan!" He threw the bag in the air, just in time as Amu brought her hands in the shape of a heart.

"Lock on to the negative heart!" She chanted.

I looked around as the eggs moved away. From the corner, I saw Utau frown then get into the van which immediately drove off.

I suddenly squinted when the very bright light we all know blinded the entire beach.

"Open Heart!"

* * *

"That was…an eventful day?" Kukai said. He was now dressed-up in a white polo and dark brown, long shorts.

"Whew…That Utau…she's really scary, you know. She did something that made those eggs turn chaotic…" Amu blew off a strand of her pink hair from her face. She was wearing her favorite red pleated skirt and a black tee-shirt with white x's printed all over it. I would now often wonder why Amu doesn't seem to have enough x's. Nearly everything she wears is shaped as an x; aren't x eggs enough?

"I think…Hoshina-san may be an enemy!" Tadase sighed. He was wearing a white shirt with light blue colored stripes. His pants were the same as Kukai's, only a lighter shade of brown.

"Since when was she an enemy? Since when did we have to play hero? Amu, I don't want to do this anymore. I think I'd rather drink some nice hot cocoa rather than to risk my…or anyone else's lives" I said in monotone. I made sure that my eyes looked bored as I said that.

I had already changed out of my swimsuit and am now in the sky-blue dress I just love to wear…

Yaya skipped ahead of everyone else, making us all stop. "But…playing hero is more fun than sitting around and doing nothing, Rima-tan! If Amu-chi doesn't cleanse those eggs, who knows what would happen?" She was in a plain white tank top with a huge cherry design in the very middle. She also wore short shorts and, unlike the rest of us, was walking bare-foot on the beach sand.

"Calm down, Yaya-chan. We're not going to stop doing this. In fact…" Nadeshiko turned to me, a teasing grin already playing across her face. "…I think that _Rima_ is just scared of the eggs!"

I felt anger boil at the pit of my stomach and heat rush to my face so I spat, "Baka! I never gave you permission to call me by my first name, let alone no honorific, Nadeshiko…or should I say Nagihi-mmf!" In one swift movement, Nagihiko had managed to cover my mouth.

"What was that, Rima-tan? You said you wanted to eat in the most expensive parfait salon in the entire land of Tokyo? Well, why didn't you say so?"

Tadase sweat-dropped while the rest tilted their heads in confusion. When Nagihiko finally let go of me, I sighed. "Actually, _Nadeshiko_, there's a simpler parfait shop I want to go to. Take me there tomorrow at exactly 1:30 pm" I demanded. Nagihiko gawked, Tadase chuckled and the rest…tilted their heads some more.

"I can't quite catch on…" Kukai mumbled. Amu nodded in agreement.

Tadase looked at his watch then sighed. "It's getting late. Mina-san, I need to go back now. Bye!" With that, he jogged off. Amu watched after him with a pout and soft, whimpering sounds. "Sayonara…Tadase-kun…" I heard her whisper.

Dramatization much?

"Wah! Yaya forgot to pack! Yaya needs to pack for tomorrow! Come on, Amu-chi!" My brunette friend immediately screamed, grabbing Amu by the hand and dashing off to their cottage. Kukai's eyes widened.

"I-I need to pack up too!" He ran off, leaving a trail of dust. "Sorry Mashiro and…" I could tell, even from a distance that he was actually blushing. "…Fujisaki-san…"

I groaned then reluctantly turned to Nadeshiko. "You're not gay, right?" I asked straight-out. If Nagihiko was drinking something, I swear that he would've spit it out, judging from the expression he made after I asked the question.

"O-of course not!" He exclaimed. I smiled in satisfaction.

"Good"

We chatted casually as we walked down the beach. Honestly, I'm getting used to Nagihiko's company and I'm starting to like him compared to when we first met (But I still hate him, okay! He's my archenemy, even if I smile a lot whenever he's around!)

"Rima-tan, you're getting worked up. Is everything alright?" He asked. You know what's weird? I felt ten times lighter when he spoke to me.

The temperature is always getting to me…

"I'm not getting worked up, Fujisaki. I'm just thinking…tomorrow really is our last day here. Time flied by fast…"

I felt him eye me as I looked up at the sunset. I was sure that he was going to tease me or make some kind of taunting comment but instead, he looked up at the sunset too; his eyes looked sorrowful. "Yeah…I _really_ can't wait to see okaa-san again…" He said- sarcasm audible in his tone. I wanted to ask him if there was something wrong with his mom, but something at the back of my mind told me that that now wasn't the best time. Maybe before we sleep…

"Mashiro-san!"

I jerked my head at the mention of my name. When I turned to see who it was, it turned out to be Kirishima running towards us. "Hello, Kirishima-kun!" I smiled. It didn't take me long to notice that his upper part of the body was completely bare. He was in his board shorts and was wet from salt water.

At the sight, I blushed.

I can now see why most girls thought Kirishima Fuyuki was hot…

"I…see you just came from surfing…Kirishima-kun…" I squeaked. He grinned then sheepishly brought his arms behind his head. "Umm…yeah! But you know what, after this trip, I'll get back to playing basketball!"

"Oh, right! You're captain of the basketball team…" I chuckled.

From beside me, Nagihiko spat. "Put a shirt on!"

Kirishima flushed then covered his face with his hands in shame. "I-I'm sorry, Fujisaki-senpai! Going in front of two young ladies half naked was v-very inappropriate of me!" He tried to cover himself up as he bowed repeatedly before Nagihiko and slowly backed away.

Still using his high soprano voice, Nagihiko, as Nadeshiko, flipped his hair then turned away. "Serves that idiot right! Seriously! What kind of guy walks around the beach half naked?" He-she scoffed. I rolled my eyes. "What kind of guy walks around the beach in cleavages?" I muttered. Nadeshiko strut away. "I don't wear cleavages!"

When we got back to the cottage, I went to the bookshelf to pack my books. I still haven't finished packing, but I was nearly done. Nadeshiko grabbed a white, long sleeved shirt and skinny black pants then disappeared in the rest room.

I put all the gag mangas in the bag so I thought that now would be the best time to sleep. I got my lavender, ruffled night gown then knocked on the door. "Nagihiko, you've been there way too long! It's my turn!"

No response…

"Stop being quiet! You're normally loud and annoying! Your silence is freaking me out now open up! I still need to get ready for bed!"

No response…

"A-are you giving me the silent treatment, Fujisaki?"

No response…

I saw red then puffed my cheeks in anger. At that time, I didn't know what to do so I crossed my arms then turned away.

"Fine! See if I care!"

…but I still need the rest room. My toothbrush is in there and so is my brush…

I grabbed the door knob then slightly turned it. Surprisingly, with a click, it opened. When I looked at the bathroom, I gasped when I saw the windows open and the 'Nadeshiko clothes' scattered to the ground.

There's no doubt about it…

Nagihiko eloped with another girl…

Strange…how I felt all heavy in the chest at the thought. "H-he eloped…" I stuttered. Kusukusu floated by me to look at the rest room. "You really don't have proof, Rima! Maybe he was abducted by aliens. Eloping is too cliché"

I felt a pang of horror pass me. "I-I need to go look for him!" I screeched, hurrying out the door and dashing into the forest. If I'm not too late, then maybe I could stop the aliens from abducting him!

I kept running, hopefully not too deep into the forest. That is, until I heard a tree branch creak. I abruptly stopped, my long hair flowing forward at the sudden halt. "Who's there?" I demanded. There was a deafening silence. I frantically looked around then noticed how unfamiliar everything was. My blood ran cold when I realized that I was lost.

A sigh came up from a distance and I immediately panicked. "W-who…"

"Relax, Rima-chan. It's just me…"

Nagihiko's voice soothed me. I looked up and saw him sitting lazily in one of the tall tree's branches. This time, he was higher up than he was before. "N-Nagihiko! Get down from there!" All of a sudden, the only type of fear left in my system was fear for someone else. What's strange is that the fear for this _someone_ happens to be fear for _Nagihiko_. I couldn't help it! He was about 60 feet off the ground!

He leaped off and I shut my eyes, whimpering.

"Didn't I tell you not too long ago that I mostly jump off roofs and trees?" He said. I opened my eyes then blinked. "Y-yeah but it's scary! Aren't you scared of…dying?" I asked. A smile formed his face. "I don't worry about that. Trees can't kill me"

Suddenly, he grabbed my hand. For the first time…my hand made actual contact with his. "Run!"

"What?"

* * *

**There's chapter 12 for ya! Constructive criticism is very much welcome! So are other reviews but…eh!**

**O my….I forgot to eat. I…haven't eaten since morning and now…it's dark out. I'm hungry! So…yeah…**

**I'm a terrible person, aren't I? Leaving you like that just because I'm hungry but I was in the mood to write this so if I try to add up to the chapter when I feel sleepy…it might turn out bad! Anyway, enough of my blabbering. I hope this chapter turned out well (PEACE!)**


	13. Stars

**Chapter 13**

**Here's a little note: Totoro is the mouse-like creature (That happens to be very big) in one of Hayao Miyazaki's movies, "My Neighbor Totoro" That dude made other **_**amazing**_** anime movies such as Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, Howl's Moving Castle, Kiki's Delivery Service, Ponyo, and Laputa: Castle in the sky. **

**I'm such a big fan of him!**

**Anyway, Shugo Chara still happens to be my favorite anime show although it ended. I really don't know why. I'm so loyal to everything…Joke!**

**So, on to the bad news (No, I will not quit on this story!)**

**It may take awhile for me to update since tommorow and on Friday is our Intramurals and I'm an athlete in swimming. I'd probably be brain-dead by the time I get back. On the Weekend, I'll be surfing. After that, I've got two days of computer time then I'll be surfing again. If my mom allows me to bring the laptop, then _yay_! If not, then the next chapter would have to wait awhile...**

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_Flashback…_

"How disappointing…"

"I was starting to like her lone wolf personality…"

"I guess she's just like the other normal girls after all- plain and ordinary…"

The petite blonde who held a perfect pose of the popular gag, bala-balance, froze as people spoke rudely of her. The raindrop and moon shaped face-paintings on her face immediately poofed away and she slowly put her foot down and let her left arm hang. Inside she was panicking. How could she have character changed in front of the many people in class? It was embarrassing and completely out-of-character.

"Rima!" A small, clown chara had floated its way to the blonde's side. He face was worried as she watched her bearer let her head hang and bangs cover her face in shame.

"Rima…" She trailed off.

The blonde known as Rima hastily got down from the table she had been standing on then hurried off the classroom. People made way although backstabbing was silently being exchanged by the middle-schoolers. The chara stayed in the room and literally flew to somebody's face.

"Rima is not a turn-off! She's an amazing person!" And although she said that straight at the person, we all know that she couldn't hear nor see Kusukusu.

"That was completely out-of-character! What a disappointment! Looks like Hinamori-san is the only one deserving to be called cool, after all. Mashiro-san returned to her boring and normal personality"

"Rima is not boring!"

Alarmed, everyone turned their heads to the source of the voice. A girl who was standing by the door, ready to chase after Rima was glaring at everyone in the class. Her bubble-gum pink hair bobbed as she faced the class.

"Every back-stabber here is a jerk- always after everyone's outer personality. What's wrong with Rima being who she is?" She said.

Those were the last things she said before she turned around then ran, looking for the blonde.

The classroom was a deafening silence now as everyone recalled what Amu Hinamori, the school's 'Cool n' Cold' had said. No one knew that those words would actually escape her lips. No one even knew she had emotions to start with.

"Hinamori-san…" Some of the students whispered as they watched her retreating figure.

_End of flashback…_

**~~~~~~~~Rima's POV~~~~~~~~**

I felt myself literally being dragged by Nagihiko. It would've been easy to keep up if I were a girl with an average size, but seeing just how small I am, I was having a hard time.

"Care to explain where you're taking me?" I questioned. He let his smile widen. "It's a place I found a few days ago. You'll see!" I tilted my head in confusion. "I don't want to wait and see! Tell me where you're taking me!" After I said that, he abruptly stopped causing me to bump into his back.

"Here" He said. I looked up, only to see a tree…or whatever you call this enormous piece of wood. It was like a tree, but so much more different compared to the average trees. You see, this one stood out because of its massive size and leaves that seemed to glow in the now-dark-sky. Its roots were big and fat that walking across it already seemed like an adventure.

"It's beautiful, Nagihiko but…" I looked at him then widened my honey orbs just to look cuter. "...why'd you take me to a tree as tall as the one where _Totoro_ lives?"

Nagi smirked. "I knew you were going to say that"

I nodded. "It would take more than a tree to impress me, Fujisaki"

My pride immediately vanished when he gave me a playboyish grin. "The top of this tree _is_ impressive. It may even impress _the_ Rima Mashiro" My heart beat faster and I slowly backed away. "What are you implying?" I screeched. He smiled then grabbed my shoulder.

"I want to be the first guy to impress you" and with that, he flung me over to his arms so that he was carrying me bridal style. He jumped over one branch, followed by another. It didn't take me long to realize that he was taking me up the tree. I was also too afraid to struggle. It could make us fall.

_Don't look down…_

_Don't look down…_

I repeatedly told myself that but even if I wasn't looking down, I still couldn't help but panic inside. "G-go down…" I said shakily. My plead seemed to pass through one ear to another since Nagihiko didn't stop anyway. I took a deep breath then shut my eyes, hoping that all of this is just a dream

Seriously! It's so dark! How can he see where he's stepping and still continuously climb this tree? He's not only perfect! He's perfect _and_ inhumane!

Involuntarily, I buried my face into his chest and tightened my grip on his arms. It's not my fault! I just really had to do it since I'm so scared…and he smells so nice…

* * *

"Rima-chan…I said you can open your eyes now…"

"No!"

"I'm telling you…you're safe!"

"Then why can't I feel the ground below me?" I said, crossing my arms and swinging my legs. There's no way I'm going to open my eyes unless I feel the ground on my feet. I'm sure that I'm way up in the tree by now. The dark probably looks better than the sight of the ground when it's around a hundred kilometers below you!"

"Come on, Rima-chan…"

"No!"

I felt his soft, warm hands grab mine. "Please…" His voice was pleading. It was…tempting…so I gave in. Of course, I wasn't about to just lose my pride so I might as well say yes while acting like I didn't fall for it. I 'humphed'

"Fine! The sight has to be worth it, though. If not, I want to be taken back to the ground _immediately_. Got that, Fujisaki?" I challenged. Nagihiko was silent at first. Finally, he spoke. "Sure, sure!"

Slowly, I parted my eyes. Everything was blurry at first. When it all finally cleared up, I saw a pair of large, brown, innocent eyes gazing at me. I immediately felt warm in the cheeks. The sight _is_ worth it!

"Your eyes aren't worth opening my eyes for" I lied. Nagihiko flew his hand to his mouth then chuckled. "It's not my eyes I want you to look at. I know they're not as pretty and impressive" He said.

No! That's a lie! His eyes _are_ pretty!

He moved to the side, letting me see…dots. Lots of sparkly dots.

They're beautiful and exhilarating; dots of different sizes, some brighter than others. The black sky held them up. I frantically looked around. I felt like I was one of them, floating freely…no problems…free…

"The stars are beautiful, aren't they…" Nagihiko sighed from beside me. He turned his head to look at me and I couldn't help but look back at his eyes. "Are they worth opening your eyes for?" He asked with a shrug. I tried to speak but I felt a lump in my throat. I'm speechless! I'm _speechless_! I'm losing my pride every second of my speechlessness!

What the heck, Nagihiko! Your cute eyes and hair and face and….you…

…you're making me speechless! What kind of potion has he cursed upon me?

The cold temperature must really be getting to me…

"M-m…" I croaked.

"I'm sorry. What was that, Rima-chan?" He asked. I shut my eyes.

"I said that they're like your eyes" I said simply, trying to sound casual. Nagihiko's face dropped then he sighed. "Okay, then! A deal's a deal! I guess I'd better bring you down now" He said, a hint of disappointment in his voice. My eyes widened and I twisted my lips as I tried to keep myself from stopping him.

Why now? At the perfect time, why'd he have to lose his know-it-all side?

He was about to take a step down but my hand _involuntarily_ jerked up then grabbed his arm. Curse my hand for having a mind of its own. Nagihiko looked at me expectantly! I couldn't just say, "Your eyes are beautiful! Stay here with me! I want to gaze at the stars!"

That would be so awkward!

Instead, I dried my throat then asked, "W-why are some stars bigger than others?"

Nice move, Rima. _Really_! Great move… (Being sarcastic…)

To my relief, Nagihiko sat back at the branch then pointed at a random, large star. "That star isn't really smaller than the other stars. It's only bigger as we see it on earth because it's closer to our planet. Of course, by closer, I mean millions of kilometers. Stars are actually far away but because they're so big, we can still see them. Stars differ in size depending on its distance from the earth and-…"

"Okay. I get it" I broke him off. I turned my head to look at the millions of stars scattered above us. They're so beautiful. Even for just a while, they let you forget your worries…

Nagihiko let out a gigantic sigh. "Man…I wish I could stay up here forever…" He muttered. I sensed anger and sorrow underneath the calm tone of his voice. Of course, it must've been my imagination because Nagihiko is problemless (Not including his slight identity problem which can easily be fixed). He's living a perfect life, making him perfect.

_Absolutely perfect_…

* * *

_11:00 pm_

Gosh it's late, and I still need to wake up early tomorrow. Gazing at the stars took longer than I thought. We were there for about…1…? 4…? 5…?

…Yeah…we were gazing at it for five hours. When I left the cottage earlier, thinking that Nagihiko was abducted, I got a glimpse of my phone and it read 6:00. Now I only came back and my phone read 11:00. It may not be exact but all I know is that I've been gazing at the stars for hours, which I didn't think was possible. The thing is, it looked so beautiful when you're so high up and looking at it where it's real and clear.

Nagihiko, being the problemless guy that he is, managed to fix his hair in one stroke of a brush. I, on the other hand, needed to do the tedious ritual I do every morning and evening- brushing my mop of hair strand by strand. I'm hardly done and I'm already tired so I just gave up. I changed into my night gown then went straight to bed, not bothering to fix my hair tonight. I know…it's going to be a huge mess tomorrow morning…

* * *

_Around midnight…_

Something wrapped around me tightly, making me scream that night. Terrified, I hesitantly turned to see what had squeezed me, only to see silky, purple hair pooling over my pillows.

It was _that_ boy…

I was about to hit him, but I forcefully stopped myself when I saw his expression. This wasn't the usual perverted grin he always wears whenever he hugs me from behind. In fact, he looked terrified and was mumbling incoherent words. I leaned in so I could understand.

…don't…sorry…mother… were all I understood. I tried to understand more of his babbling but I couldn't so I gave up then sat on my bed while staring down at him as if he were a person that randomly fell off the sky. After a few minutes, I started to feel groggy again. It felt awkward to sleep beside a guy. Also, I didn't want to wake him up since he looked so…ssh…_cute_ when asleep. He got over his random mumbling while asleep and is now sleeping like a normal human being (Although he was tossing and turning a lot)

…how cute…

Since I was being so kind as to let him sleep in my bed, I walked over to his bed.

* * *

_A few minutes later..._

I…

Could not…

Sleep…

This collection of blankets doesn't deserve to be called a bed because I…could not…sleep in it!

It was hard and my muscles hurt. It was also very hard to sit back up, which I don't even want to do since I'm so sleepy! How did Nagihiko manage to sleep in this piece of junk these past few days?

…Oh yeah…he's perfect…

I dreamily looked back at my bed where Nagihiko peacefully slept.

I…want…to…sleep…

…but then it would be so awkward!

I'm a proper lady! That's right! I can go on without sleep just as long as I don't sleep with a boy because that's what a proper lady does!

* * *

_Next day…_

"Rima-tan…"

"Rima-chan…"

I slowly let my eyes flutter open. Nagihiko was looking down at me. Also, he wasn't wearing the usual happy grin. I slowly sat up then rubbed my eyes. "What is it, Purple-head?" I asked. Nagihiko winced at the nickname for awhile but shook it off.

"It's 4:00 am. We need to get ready since we're leaving at seven"

"What?" I exclaimed. "I've got around two hours and thirty more minutes to sleep! How can you even wake up at this time?"

He sighed. "Well, four in the morning _is_ the normal time to wake a girl up…" He muttered. I looked at him with raised brows. "But you're a boy…"

"I know, I know. The people in the household treats me like a girl, though. _Nadeshiko_, remember?" He pointed out.

"Oh…" I said.

"By the way…" He said, covering the blush creeping up his face. I faced him eagerly, wondering why he'd be blushing.

"I-I'm sorry I ended up sleeping in the bed with you. I didn't know what I was doing while I was asleep…" He said. My eyes widened.

"W-with me?"

"Yes. You were sleeping in the bed too when I woke up"

"O-oh…"

You know what, forget it. I don't even care if I'm a proper lady…

* * *

**Wow. This chapter felt different. I guess you're thinking that I'm **

**not really getting on with the story, but I like adding random fluff (That sometime don't have anything to do with the story) such as this.**

**Rate and Review! Although I'm not forcing you but reviews would be nice.**

**By the way, before I forget, thanks for the reviews for the previous chapter!**


	14. Did Amu just make a move?

**Chapter 14**

**:Yahoo! Chapter 14 is up! My mom let me bring the laptop so yeah… ^_^**

**:Anyway, I made a story (one chapter) 'Baby of Love'. Feel free to read if you'd like. It's basically Yaya trying to pair up Rima and Nagi.**

**:The beach trip is over. The gang is on their way to Seiyo High again.**

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"Tsukasa…" A man around his 50's grumbled as a slim silhouette sat on the desk beside him. The silhouette whose hair was a shade of light brown smiled in a carefree manner. "What did you call me for, Director?" He asked giddily. The older man frowned at Tsukasa's careless expression.

"Rooming Mashiro with Fujisaki and Yuiki with Hinamori…not only that! You made Souma and Hotori meet them. Just what are you planning?" He grumbled. Tsukasa shrugged, his smile never leaving.

"I have no plan! It's just fun"

_SLAM_

The director slammed his fist hard against the table.

"Amakawa Tsukasa…get the hell out of Easter's premises. I no longer want you to work with us!" He exclaimed.

Tsukasa's smile never left. He gave a nonchalant shrug then skipped across the room and out the door. The director rested his forehead in his palm

"That Tsukasa was never on Easter's side…wasn't he…"

**~~~~~~~~Rima's POV~~~~~~~~**

Once again, my good morning was ruined by Nagihiko's constant teasing.

"Rima-tan's so slow! Rima-tan's so slow!" Purple-head sang out in a teasing manner. I sent him a spiteful glare making him flinch for a split second. "How immature can you get? It's not my fault my hair's so hard to handle!" I sighed. Nagihiko walked over then looked at our reflection by the mirror.

"But you're still slow at brushing" He said. Giving up, I grabbed my head-band then placed it on my hair. Nagihiko blinked in surprise as I grabbed my bag then headed for the door.

"What's with that look of surprise, Nagihiko?" I groaned. He shook his head then grabbed his sakura ribbon.

"It's just that girls are always so cautious of their hair. You're different" He replied while pulling his long hair up to form a ponytail. I flipped my slightly messed-up hair then continued to take steps from him.

"I _am_ different"

Just as I was about to reach out for the door, Yaya had already slammed it open. "Yahoo, Rima-chan and Naddy! Yaya's all packed and ready!" She screamed as she tackled Nagihiko to the ground. Nagihiko, now being in Nadeshiko mode, giggled light-heartedly then smiled at Yaya.

"Now, now, Yaya-san! You're messing up my hair and you're quite heavy" s(he) said. Anger boiled at the pit of my stomach as I muttered an inaudible "Pervert" under my breath. What I said seemed to catch _Nadeshiko's_ reaction. He looked at me in a feminine and endearing way then blinked his eyes a couple of times, just to look more innocent.

It was _that_ look that would cause her/his fanboys to swoon.

"What do you mean by _I'm a pervert_…" She asked in that sickeningly sweet voice everyone calls 'adorable'. I got Yaya's empty can of orange juice then threw it at him, much to everyone's surprise.

"Urusai" I snapped.

* * *

I watched as Nadeshiko, now on the stage, brought the megaphone to her lips in a charming way. She placed her hand on her waist then cocked her hips before saying, "Everyone, please be nice and make a proper and straight line according to your sections!"

Everyone watched Nadeshiko in awe before doing what she says.

"That's good!" She said with a wink.

At her action, every boy, excluding Kirishima, Kukai and Tadase squealed. I groaned.

"Seriously…what is it about her that guys adore…"

A guy beside me ablaze at what I had said. "What did you say, you-…Oh! Hi, Rima-sama! You look so adorable, as always!" He complimented with a squeal. I rolled my eyes. This is why divorces and fights happen between lovers all the time; it's because every guy, these days, only watch a female's outer character. You couldn't find any who would really love you for who you truly are.

…at least…that's what I have learned through experience…

"Okay, everyone! Please enter the bus you are assigned to!"

I followed the line and entered the bus assigned to us, bus number 6.

Being the petite loner and ice queen I am in the eyes of many, I scurried my way to the last seat. It was sort of tight there, considering that this is where people usually place their big luggage but tight spaces make me feel comfortable. Everyone in class shared stories and laughed together while I sat there in my isolated seat.

I was fine, though. I don't need to hear gossips about the cutest guys in school (e.g. Kirishima-kun, Hotori-kun and Souma-kun)

"There you are" I felt myself stiffen at the voice. It was _that_ sickeningly sweet voice that now seemed alien to me.

"What do you want" I spat. Nadeshiko, put some bags aside so that he could make his way to where I was sitting. When he did, he sat beside me, making me scowl at him.

"I was enjoying my peace…" I glowered

"You mean 'You were enjoying your _loneliness_'" He replied with a smile.

Before I could spat back he asked, "Are you still blackmailing me?"

"What?" I said, turning to him. He was waiting for my answer with glassy eyes. He was also paled and slightly trembling.

"Y-yes…?" Now that I stop and think of it, I haven't been blackmailing him much these past few days. Blackmailing him was what I have been looking forward to so why am I not doing it?

"Can you stop?"

"And why would I stop?" I challenged. Nagihiko thought about this for a moment. Finally, he sighed. "If you don't blackmail me, I will…"

He trailed off then clenched his fists. I watched him questioningly.

"You will…?"

He sighed. "I'll leave you to your peace"

I cocked my head to the side.

"What do you mean by that, purple-headed cross-dresser?"

"It means that I'll let you have Amu-chan. I won't bother you anymore and I won't speak with her again"

My eyes widened. From the very beginning, this was what I wanted. Now he's giving it to me freely.

I never thought of telling him to stay away from Amu as a form of blackmail. I thought that he'd never do that yet here he is, offering me my best friend's undivided attention.

"W-why…"

"Because I don't like it when people blackmail me" His voice has already dropped and his face was blank. It somehow scared me.

"That's a lie. That's not the reason! You care about Amu more than anything or anyone…"

He flinched.

When a tint of pink made its way to his cheeks, I couldn't help but get mad.

The entire trip back to Seiyo was silent for the both of us as we sat beside each other awkwardly.

* * *

"Ahh! We're back!" I cheered quietly so no one would notice. Of course, that attempt was useless seeing that Nagihiko was beside me.

"So…which parfait shop do you want to go to?" He asked. I hardened as the back of his palm made contact with my arms while he walked over to my side. I jerked away from him then glared. Of course, his smile never left although I was now literally shooting daggers at him.

Honestly. That nonchalant expression of his always gets on my nerves.

"What are you talking about, psychotic burriko?"

"My, my…don't ell me that you forgot about that. Yesterday, I offered you a parfait from the most expensive shop in Tokyo right after you threatened to let my secret slip but then you rejected and suggested a simpler shop"

"What? I don't remember!" I said.

Nagihiko sighed. "Fine…I guess I'll have to remind you then…"

_Flashback:_

"_Calm down, Yaya-chan. We're not going to stop doing this. In fact…" Nadeshiko turned to me, a teasing grin already playing across her face. "…I think that Rima is just scared of the eggs!"_

"_Baka! I never gave you permission to call me by my first name, let alone no honorific, Nadeshiko…or should I say Nagihi-mmf!" In one swift movement, Nagihiko had managed to cover my mouth._

"_What was that, Rima-tan? You said you wanted to eat in the most expensive parfait salon in the entire land of Tokyo? Well, why didn't you say so?"_

_I sighed. "Actually, Nadeshiko, there's a simpler parfait shop I want to go to. Take me there tomorrow at exactly 1:30 pm" _

"See? How can you forget your little _blackmail_?" He said in a hard tone.

"I-I didn't! I was testing you!"

He grabbed my hand then handed me something.

"That's the money. I have this feeling you wouldn't want me with you so there"

I looked at the yen he gave me. I've got to say…it was _a lot_. I curled my fingers.

I don't want to go to the shop alone. There'd be no meaning to it. Going there would then be pointless…

Maybe…I should invite Amu, Yaya, Kukai and Tadase.

I was about to tell him that but I saw Amu, together with Yaya and Tadase step out of their bus. I hastily ran to her then glomped her. "Amu! I missed you so much!" I cried, making her sweat-drop.

"B-but Rima…we've only been separated for a few hours. We've been through longer separations, you know…"

I dug my face in her chest. "But Amu…I was stuck with Burriko over there!" I yelled, pointing over to where Nagihiko was. I stiffened in Amu's embrace when I heard his footsteps coming near me.

He made a feminine and high-pitched sigh before saying in his high-soprano, "Again with the 'burriko' nicknames huh, Chibi-san?"

I gave him my death glare. "Leave me to my peace…"

He shrugged, looked at Amu then smiled. (Omigod, I swear I'm seeing sparkles in his smile!)

"Hi there, Amu-chan! It's been so long!"

"Leave me to my peace _with Amu_!" I screamed. Of course, he just _had_ to walk past me and embrace Amu from the side.

Amu chuckled…

_Purple-head_ smirked…

…and I felt my entire being pale.

"Seriously! If you guys hate each other so much, why do you hide it?" She asked, turning her head to Nagihiko. Since I knew that Nadeshiko was a guy, I couldn't help but notice how close their lips were. It would only take a few more centimeters for them to kiss. Nagihiko, currently as Nadeshiko, must be thinking the same thing because he ended up staring at Amu frozen and flushed.

"Huh? Nadeshiko, you okay?" She asked, tilting her head a little. Nagihiko backed off a bit, his face turning a darker shade of red. Amu saw Nadeshiko's burden. Obviously, she didn't think that it was her distance from him that turned him into that. She gently placed her hands to his chin then slid it to his neck.

"You're so hot…" She whispered.

I felt my face heat up

Depression marks found its way to Nagihiko's forehead.

"F-F-F-Fu-Fujisaki-kun?" Tadase exclaimed. At his voice, Amu's eyes widened and she immediately turned to face her 'prince', who now looked like he was just attacked by a mad rampaging gorilla. Beside Tadase were Kukai and Yaya, who both looked clueless as to why Tadase had reacted that way.

I turned to Nagihiko for the fun of seeing how he looked. He was looking at Tadase with a 'help-me-out!' pout.

Tadase gulped.

"H-Hinamori-san!" The moment he called Amu's name, I could already tell that he didn't know what he was doing. Amu was now facing him although her arms were still on Nagihiko's side and neck.

"U-um…p-please…Go out with me! To the park…now…" Right after he said that, everyone (As in _everyone_) from Seiyo High abruptly turned to him then Amu repeatedly.

There was an awkward silence…

"WHAT?"

An awkward silence was broken by the scream of everyone in Seiyo a few seconds later.

Tadase had his head down while Amu has obviously forgotten how to breathe. After awhile, she placed her hands on her hips only to keep her outer cool personality. "Sure, shrimp…" She said

The crowd 'ooed' as Amu's 'cool n spicy' character managed to force its way out. Tadase was smiling and giving Nagihiko the 'I've-got-it-all-taken-care-of' look.

Nagihiko and I visibly face-palmed ourselves.

Can't he tell that that was obviously a confession?

When he playfully grabbed Amu's hand then dragged her away, the crowd that I had just realized surrounded us left to follow them both. When I was sure no one was looking, I tiptoed so that my face was the same level as Nagihiko's.

"Close your eyes…" I whispered. When I said that, the blush that just vanished made its way back to his cheeks.

"W-what?"

I leaned closer then held both sides of his face.

"Just close it…"

And he did. I smiled then brought my lips over to his ear.

"Pervert…" I whispered.


	15. Let's be stalkers!

**Chapter 15**

**I own nothing**

* * *

With a smile still visible on his slender face, Tsukasa picked out five cards from the deck.

He looked at it and the smile widened. "What a coincidence!" He said. "I got all five suits of the card in one pick!"

King…

Queen…

Jack…

Ace…

And the Joker…

**~~~~~~~~Rima's POV~~~~~~~~**

"Rima-chi…is she really okay?" Yaya asked me worriedly. I shrugged then bit my lip in anxiety.

"Hinamori told me that Fujisaki's never cuddled herself into a ball and go emo before. She said that she was perfect…which…she actually is…" Kukai mumbled, looking straight at the rounded figure before him.

I felt guilt build up inside me. I had to grip and fiddle with the hem of my skirt to keep my cool as I watched Nagihiko go into a deeper state of emo-ness.

"N-Naddy! What happened? Tell us!" Yaya cried, bouncing over to Nagihiko's side.

He sighed.

"It's nothing, really. Rima-tan called me a pervert is all…"

"What?" The two's heads perked up then they both sent murderous glances at me.

"Why would you call Fujisaki a pervert, Mashiro-san? She's pure and innocent! Have you seen the way she looks at people? She…cocks her head then blinks in an endearing way!"

"Yeah, yeah!" I said, waving my hand off at Kukai as if he was a fly. "Silly boy! You don't even know what she's truly like…"

Yaya and Kukai's eyes flashed.

"…And you know…?" They said in unison. I shrugged. "Yes. We were room-mates, remember?"

The four of s went on a casual conversation. We would constantly talk about Amu and Tadase's so-called '_date_'. When the topic comes in, Yaya would squeal a lot, Kukai would look bored and I would fidget with my fingers out of nervousness. I couldn't help it! She's my best-friend and I wouldn't know what to do when she feels bad. I was never good at comforting people. I looked over at Nagihiko and noticed that he was doing the same thing.

I sneakily tapped his back.

"You know what; we need to make sure that Amu can be entrusted to Hotori-kun. I'm going to meet you in the parfait shop later at the time I told you to come. Meet me here at 1:00"

"Rima-tan? Naddy? What are you talking about?" Yaya asked innocently, cocking her head to the side. I gasped then pulled away from Nagihiko.

"Betsuni"

* * *

So Yaya, Kukai, Nadeshiko and I parted at around 12:00 so we cold all take a rest in our homes from the tiring trip. Well…I couldn't really call my home a _home_…

…It's more of a dungeon...

My parents constantly fought and to be honest with you, it made me feel lonely.

"Rima! Smile!" Kusukusu laughed. When she did this, the corners of my lips went up a little. Kusukusu cheered. "Yay! Rima smiled!"

1:00

Don't get the wrong idea. It's not like I'm sassy or that I like Nagihiko. I'm just…a girl! And a girl has fashion dilemmas! Even if we're just making a plan and all, I couldn't help but to want to look good. It's not just for me. It's for the fanboys too.

I took out a white, ruffled blouse and a black skirt from the closet, white stockings and black shoes. "What do you think, Kusukusu?" I asked hopefully. Kusukusu just stared at me in awe. "Rima-tan! You just switched style! You look like an angel!" She exclaimed. I smiled in satisfaction. "Thanks, Kusukusu…"

"Now… about getting out…" I trailed off. Kusukusu headed for the door.

"I'll go check if downstairs is safe enough" She said, floating down the fly of stairs. I let out an exasperated sigh then collapsed on the bed as I impatiently waited for Kusukusu's return. After awhile, the door clicked open. Kusukusu came in with a smile.

"They brought the war zone to their room so it's safe to go down, Rima! You'll just have to be very quiet as you pass their room!"

I smiled then grabbed my white purse.

"Arigatou!"

I tip-toed past their room. From the door, their arguments were clear and coherent.

"Stop denying it! I love Rima more than you do! It's just that I have a lot of work to do!" Mom yelled. I heard my dad's fist literally slam something.

"You don't love her as much as I do! If you love her as much, then she never would've been kidnapped and I don't have to transfer her to a school that's so far from where we live!"

"My fault? It's not my fault that _my_ daughter was kidnapped! It's yours! Your love for her is not as whole!"

I felt myself literally want to puke. Do they not hear themselves now? How much longer are they going to keep this up? It's sickening. They keep saying that they love me, but they don't mean it. They obviously don't.

Once I passed their room, I hurried down the stairs, slammed the door open, shut it with a bang then ran off the house.

"Rima! Go faster! Go faster!" Kusukusu yelled. I groaned.

"Jeez, Kusukusu!"

"Do you want to character change, Rima?" She asked. I gasped then ran faster, although my sides were already hurting.

"No!"

Finally!

I finally reached the school!

I saw Nagihiko standing by a tree. Satisfied that he wasn't late, I walked over to him.

"Hey!" I smiled. Nagihiko glanced at me then let out a genuine smile of his own. "Hey!"

I abruptly stopped then eyed him. He must've noticed my suspicious glare because he gulped in anxiety. Nagihiko was wearing boy's clothing; a white turtleneck, skinny jeans and a tight, brown coat. That was one thing I noticed. What had caught my attention the most, though, was the thin line of wound on his left cheek.

"What happened to your cheek?" I asked. He turned away from me then walked ahead. "N-nothing. Let's just go to the parfait shop you wanted to go to, okay?" He mumbled. I crossed my arms then pointed at the opposite direction.

"You're going the wrong way!"

He stopped then looked back at me sheepishly. "S-sorry!"

As I walked with him, I continued to glare at the wound.

"Please stop staring, Rima-tan! It's scaring me…"

"I'll stop when you tell me where you got the wound. You're acting strange and something tells me that it's the wound's cause" I muttered. Nagihiko sighed.

"It's nothing, really. I just tripped on a rock and scratched it on a branch"

I pointed an accusing finger at him. "Liar! Tripping is a mistake that you would never do! You're perfect! Clumsiness is not the cause of that, and I could tell!"

It's a simple wound. Why would he lie?

"It's personal. I'll tell you when I feel like it" At what he said, I was enraged. I knew that he'd never feel like saying it, but judging by the way he said it, that topic ends there. I could no loner get much information out of him.

"Nee, Rima-chan, is that the parfait salon you wanted to go to?" I heard Nagihiko say. I snapped my head up then looked at the direction he was pointing at. At the sight, I couldn't help but let my eyes twinkle with joy.

"Yes!" I nodded. He smirked then grabbed my hand.

"You look excited! Let's go!" I blushed at the contact and the comments coming from the people surrounding us. Comments such as, "What a cute couple" and "It's too bad a boy that cute already has a girlfriend!"

I glared. I glared at everyone who misunderstood us.

"Mind your own business…" I hissed.

A bell signaled our entry at the shop.

"Wow! It still looks so cozy and sweet!" I squealed. I felt Nagihiko shiver.

"I-I can't believe I'm hearing those coming words from you…" He muttered. I let go of his hand then hurried to a chair.

The shop's interior was simple. It was the size of my bedroom, only it had a better atmosphere. Its walls were colored light-blue and the floor was a light-brown wood- the colors gave it a light feeling.

"You're right! It's so simple! You know, I can treat you to something more exquisite than thi-"

"No!" I cut Nagihiko off. I happily grabbed the menu that lay on the table. "I like it here!"

Nagihiko's eyes seemed to dull as a light smile formed his lips. "Okay, fine! If you like it so much then I guess that I can't protest. It's actually cute just like you"

"What?" I blushed, swiftly turning to him. Nagihiko's smile widened. "Must you know that I say that to every girl?" He chuckled. I frowned then brought my focus back on the menu.

"Playboy…"

After a few minutes, I have finally decided to get the strawberry parfait. I raised my hand to call unto a waiter, only to gasp. The waiter…I knew her.

"Shion?" I gasped.

Shion's eyes were magenta and her light brown hair was tied into a bun. She blinked in shock then grinned. "Rima-chan! I missed you so much! Why did you stop coming here?"

Nagihiko looked at me and Shion repeatedly, and then he cocked his brows. "You two know each other?" He said. I fiddled with the hem of my skirt then let out a soft, short "Yes"

At the sight of Nagihiko, Shion squealed. "Wow! You're so big, Rima-tan! The last time you came here, you were so young and with your parents! Now, you're with a boyfriend"

"He's not my boyfriend" I mumbled. I looked over at Nagihiko, who was nodding in agreement. "We're just friends" He said.

"Not even…" I glared, making him chuckle somehow.

Shion smiled. "So anyway, how are your parents doing?"

I flinched. Nagihiko must have noticed my reaction because he turned to me with creased brows. Shion stopped then her happy expression was replaced with one of worry.

"They're okay, right?" She asked.

"Yes" I breathed. "In fact, they're so energetic that they could go on screaming for three days non-stop. Literally" I said, trying to smile so that it would seem like a joke. Shion and Nagihiko didn't buy it, though.

"So things didn't go back to normal after you were kidnapped?" She said. Nagihiko's eyes widened and I literally felt like face-palming myself.

"You were kidnapped?" He exclaimed. I sank in my seat. "Thanks a lot, Shion…" I mumbled sarcastically. Shion covered her mouth with sorry eyes. "Oh my…he didn't know? I-I'm sorry for letting it slip"

"You'd better be…I don't trust purple-head…" I braced myself for his come-back but to my surprise, he was silent.

There was an awkward silence for awhile until Shion nervously asked for my order. I told her exactly what I wanted then she dashed off. When she came back, she had my strawberry parfait in her hands. I ate it slowly, tasting the sweetness I really missed.

When we were done, I paid with the money Nagihiko had given me then the two of us walked out.

"So…what exactly happened to your parents?" He asked. I looked at him with a sneer.

"It's none of your business!"

"Okay then. I'll ask you something simpler and maybe you'll answer"

"I will never-"

"Why are you blonde?"

"What?" I turned to him with raised brows. He looked back at me with a laid-back expression.

"That's also none of your business!" I spat. I wanted a reaction from him. I wanted him to get curious but instead, he shrugged. "I suppose that's true"

Why does he keep doing that? He always does stuff I never expected!

Something pink and blonde caught my eye. Impulsively, I grabbed Nagihiko's coat then hid behind a tree. "I never noticed that we were already in the park!" I whispered. Nagihiko leaned in so he could get a better view of Amu and Tadase and I couldn't help but blush since his face was nearly a few inches from mine although it's in side-view.

I nearly fell off when he whispered, "Amu-chan looks so cute when she's flushed like that…"

I glared harder at him but he didn't seem to notice.

"Maybe I really don't have a chance with her. After all, she loves only Nadeshiko. I doubt that she'll even like me as Nagihi-"

"Shut up, Purple-head! You sound like a fan-boy. It's so not like you and to be honest, I don't like it" I cut him off. He blinked then turned to me. "S-sorry…"

I grabbed him by the coat again then wobbled my way to another tree that happens to be closer to Amu and Tadase so that we could hear them. They were seated on a bench with Tadase talking and Amu laughing, only with a really red face.

"I have a plan…" Nagihiko whispered, his eyes narrowing. I looked at him then cocked my head. "What?"

He let a grin form his face.

"We stalk them…"

**~~~~~~Normal POV~~~~~~**

"A-ano…Tsukasa-kun, what did you want from us?" Yaya asked, eyeing their school principal with innocent eyes. Beside her, Kukai was sulking on his seat.

Before the two managed to exit Seiyo's gates after parting with Rima and _Nadeshiko_, they were called off by the principal, Tsukasa Amakawa, to the office.

"I-if this is about me skipping class a few weeks ago, or hitting Yukari-baka in the face with a soccer ball not too long ago, then I'm sorry! I promise I won't be doing it again!" Kukai panicked.

Tsukasa cocked his brow. "It was you who did all that, Souma-kun?"

At that, Kukai snapped. "Dang! I almost got away with it…"

"Anyway, that's not what this is about so I'll let you off this time. Also, I have a great dislike for Yukari-sensei"

Kukai's eyes sparkled with joy as he repeatedly thanked the principal while Yaya bounced up then cutely raised her hand.

"So what did you want from us, Tsukasa-kun?" She yelled. Kukai calmed then sat, still muttering 'thank you' under his breath. Tsukasa narrowed his eyes then brought out five cards. "The king, queen, jack, ace and joker?" Yaya wondered. Tsukasa nodded then placed the cards on the table.

"I have an idea for all of you who have charas-"

"Wait! How does Tsukasa-kun know about charas?" Yaya screamed. Kukai held the same curious expression as Yaya.

The brown-haired principal coughed then went on, ignoring Yaya's outburst, "I want to put you all in one special group called the _guardians_. I have a job for you; to catch and purify the x eggs around Seiyo High. Because eggs would sometimes come out during class-time, I'll give you the privilege to excuse yourselves. Now, tell everyone that you'll be serving as Seiyo High's student council but keep your true job a secret. Also, you'll all be given special privileges" He explained.

Yaya and Kukai blinked at him unbelievingly.

"Seriously?" Kukai muttered. Yaya, however, shocked the two by jumping up and screaming, "Yaya thinks that that is so cool! We get special privileges"

"Privileges like…?" Kukai asked, placing his arms behind his head and leaning on the chair.

"Free snacks, usage of special rooms whenever you want and a building of you own!" Tsukasa smiled. The two gawked. Kukai was the first to calm down, although not fully.

He placed a finger on his forehead, "Anyway, why'd you bring out those cards?" Kukai asked, lazily sinking into chair. Tsukasa smiled.

"Souma-kun, you will serve as the jack's chair of the guardians" He said, pulling out the jack and shoving it on Kukai's face.

"Wha…?" Kukai's eyes were wide.

Tsukasa grinned as he turned to Yaya, who was now jumping in excitement.

"Yuiki-san, I'll give you the Ace chair!"

"Shugoi!" Yaya screamed, grabbing the ace card before Tsukasa could even give it to her.

"What do Rima-tan, Naddy, Amu-chi and Tadase-kun get?" She wondered. Tsukasa gleamed.

"Fujisaki-san will take the Queen's chair, Mashiro-san will take the second Queen; Hinamori-san will be the Joker and Hotori-kun will be the King's chair"

Satisfied, Yaya glanced back at her card.

"The _guardians_…" She whispered excitedly.

* * *

**Belated Happy Halloween, guys! I didn't go trick or treating though. We're in the beach. Anyway, the night of the Halloween party…I watched a bunch of surfers cross-dress and dance on stage.**

**Weird, you say?**

**VERY!**

**Plus they were muscular and buff. Anyway, it was hilarious! They were just goofing off, though. Nothing big. Their way to have fun and party...**

**BTW, before I forget, the waiter there, Shion, is actually a side-character in shugo chara. Remember her? She was Kukai's childhood friend (Possibly first love). She moved away and she was the girl Kukai gave a four-leaved-clover. She works in this restaurant and plays the piano magnificently. **

**Anyway, thanks for the reviews!**


	16. Stalking and Saaya!

**Chapter 16**

**Hey! I don't know why I'm randomly saying this but…I can't wait for Christmas!**

**Advanced Merry Christmas! Although it's still November here!**

A year and a half ago

With her straight, long locks of violet hair swaying by her back, Nadeshiko, said to be the most elegant and beloved girl in Seiyo, hurried through the school hallways with a mountain of papers being carried in both arms. For that school year, she was the batch representative, not to mention the biggest heart-throb around the boys in school.

Normally, she's calm, but today she was hectic. She was late for dancing lessons and still needed to sign lots of papers for the upcoming school event.

As she ran to the office, she would constantly wipe off sweat-drops dripping off her face.

"Mother is not going to be happy when she sees me looking like a mess. She'll say that I look like a _boy_!" She screamed.

"Stop!"

She came to an abrupt stop when a small, boy's voice had called out to her. She looked over her shoulder with an obviously pissed-off face.

"What is it, Rhythm…? Can't you see that I'm in a hurry? I _will not_ character change with you"

A chara with a white beanie, violet vest and black headphones wrapped around its neck was looking straight at Nadeshiko with a very serious expression. "It's not that, Nagi! I can feel the presence of another chara close by! Three of them!"

"What?" Nadeshiko said, placing the papers on her shoulder bag. The chara flew off, motioning for its bearer to follow.

With a sigh, Nadeshiko followed. After a long run, the chara stopped by the roof then hid behind Nadeshiko's blazer at the sight of a pink-haired girl whose back was turned to them, sitting by a bench. Just as Rhythm had predicted, beside her, three charas were floating.

"That's Hinamori Amu, the girl that transferred here just awhile ago…"

Rhythm gave out a long whistle.

"Her introduction was epic, man! She said, 'Stop looking at me like I am some sort of alien…idiots'! That caused everyone in class to swoon and not long after she was nicknamed cool n spicy!"

Nadeshiko eyed the girl with sympathy. She was chatting…well…more like telling her charas how hard the day was.

She was obviously putting on an outer character…

Without much thought, Nadeshiko walked over to the new girl's side with Rhythm's non-stop encouragement.

"Hi! I'm Nadeshiko! You're Amu-chan, right? If you don't mind, can we be friends?" She said, sitting beside the new girl. Amu blinked, and then her face turned slightly pink. At this, Nadeshiko giggled in her sweet, sugary way.

"So you're actually shy!" She teased. Amu turned away, her face still pink yet her eyes shining with a little bit of hope.

"Urusai. I don't even know you."

Instinctively, Nadeshiko extended her hand.

"I'm Fujisaki Nadeshiko! We're in the same class. Now…you know me, so can we be friends?"

Amu stared at the hand for a few seconds, then at Nadeshiko's face which was expectant and surprisingly calm. Hesitantly, she took the purple-haired girl's hand then shook it.

"Tell me…why do you bother to befriend me? I mean…after that ruckus I caused back there in the classroom and all the mean things I called everyone in class…why bother?" She mumbled. Nadeshiko did her signature 'innocent head tilt and blinking eyes'

"Why not? Everyone's shy on their first day in a new school. Acing cool is just your own way of showing it. Besides…" She gently reached over Amu's shoulders where three, peppy looking charas were floating.

"…I'm sure you'd like to be honest and peppy…like these three over here" She winked. "I can help you out with that!"

The pinkette's eyes widened at first, from the shock that this girl could actually see her charas. After awhile, she managed to let it all sink in. She smiled then whispered almost inaudibly

"Thanks for making this easier for me. Leaving her in Sakura Elementary was hard…for the both of us…"

**~~~~~~Rima's POV~~~~~~**

"Calm down, Nagihiko…" I whispered. I've got to admit, though. I was also slightly paled myself but Nagihiko…was a higher level of shock.

I mean… Amu and Tadase are holding hands as they walk.

Let me clear that out.

They're holding hands!

"Let's go this way, Amu-chan!" Tadase grinned, clutching Amu's hand a little tighter as he brisk-walked towards the roller-coaster.

"H-h-h-h-h-hai, Tadase-kun!" Amu flushed. The both of them decided to go to a carnival after talking for awhile in the park. I frowned at what Amu had just agreed to do. Was she that flustered that she forgot that she's scared of fast rides?

I looked over at Nagihiko and I could literally hear his teeth clench.

"I-I knew Amu-chan would never actually like Nagihiko but watching her date someone else is just a bit…" He trailed off. I frowned. How can he be so annoying? Can't he see that I'm jealous…of him? Amu's my best friend. Only I shall feel protectiveness over her.

"Stop acting like a protective best friend like me!" I exclaimed…

Although deep down, I knew that what he felt for Amu was entirely different from how I felt for her...because he was _in-love_ with her.

"J-just shut up and keep your jealousy to yourself…" I muttered, my voice somehow croaked. Nagihiko turned to me, his big, brown eyes filled with confusion. "Yeah. I probably should…"

That's it? No come-backs and stuff? How can he calmly admit his love for Amu just like that? Without fighting the feeling! Does he just let love take-over whenever it wants to so easily?

The both of us watched in silence as Tadase bought Amu some chocolate ice-cream while he bought his vanilla. The two of them sat on a bench.

"T-thanks for the ice-cream, Tadase-kun" Amu stuttered.

Tadase smiled genuinely at her then whispered a soft 'You're welcome'

"Um…tell me, Tadase-kun. How often do you treat other girls?" She asked, cocking her head innocently. Tadase stopped to think about this for a moment. Finally, he turned to Amu with a casual shrug. "You're the first girl I treated"

At this Amu blushed.

She was about to say something but something seemed to zip by. In half a second, a tall boy with midnight blue hair was standing before the two. He was slim and looked like he was as quick as a cat. On his right hand was a bag filled with taiyaki.

"Who is he…?" I muttered, lowering my head so I don't get noticed. Nagihiko, however, did the opposite of what I did and stretched his neck, therefore making it easier for us to get caught. "I don't know but…according to my cousin, he has most of the qualifications a girl considers _hot_…"

"I do not find him hot!" I exclaimed. Nagihiko let a smirk make its way to his face.

"You're unique, Rima…"

I felt my face heat up so I covered it with my palms.

"D-don't call me Rima…" I breathed, swiftly fixing my attention to the scene with Tadase, Amu and this boy.

Based on Amu's reaction, she obviously knew who this guy is. Her golden eyes grew wide and her face was flushed…

Tadase seemed to know him too, and I could already tell that it wasn't a friendly reunion. His normally calm and happy expression was transformed into one that was murderous and furious.

"It's you…" He hissed darkly under his breath. The boy noticed the younger blonde. At first, he was shocked but his shocked face was immediately replaced by a smirk.

"Hello, kiddy king…"

Amu looked between the two in confusion. "You two know each other…?" She mumbled.

Tadase held her back. "Tsukiyomi Ikuto…what do you want…" He glared, getting ready to pounce whenever he took another step. The older boy shrugged then extended his right arm, which contained the bag with taiyaki.

"Give this to your pink-haired girlfriend. It's my way of saying thanks"

"He's/She's not my boyfriend/girlfriend" The bright blonde and pinkette said in unison.

Taking small steps forward, Amu took the bag.

"Thanks anyway…" She mumbled, taking a look at the snack inside. At what she did, I couldn't help but notice how the two boys suddenly froze.

Of course, I myself have to admit…Amu was really cute when she said thanks…

"Why are you thanking her anyway?" Tadase asked, turning to this so-called 'Ikuto' with a frown. He grinned then hugged Amu from the side. (Nagihiko totally bit on a piece of cloth to keep his cool…)

"I slept on the same bed as her for three days during your trip" He chuckled.

Tadase's eyes widened.

I had lunged onto Nagihiko to cover his mouth to make his yells muffled.

"S-shut p if you don't want to get caught!" I whispered. I turned away from him.

"Playboy…" I couldn't help but say that with a sad sigh.

"I-it's not what you think, Tadase-kun! Ikuto was injured and…and…" Amu was cut-off.

"You are so amusing…" Tadase breathed. All of us froze. Even Nagihiko stopped struggling from my grip.

Tadase looked at Amu straight in the eye. "He was hurt…and you were so kind. You'd let him- a complete stranger at that time- sleep in your bed just to help him out. I've never met a girl who'd do that…"

An awkward silence followed...

After awhile, Ikuto placed a hand on Amu's head then he playfully messed-up her pink locks. "You have no reason to scold me or her, kiddy king. There was a good reason for everything..." He trailed off then gave Tadase a knowing look. "Does she know what happens when you character change?" He smirked. Immediately, Tadase panicked.

"No! No! Don't say it, Tsukiyomi Ikuto or I will…I will…"

Amu looked at Tadase in confusion.

"You will what? Honestly, you're too kind…_prince_" Ikuto said with amusement visible in his eyes

Tadase gasped as a small crown popped into his head.

"...I WILL MAKE YOU SUFFER, YOU WORTHLESS COMMONER! Anyway...THOU SHALL CALL ME _KING_! MUAHAHAHAHAHA! MUAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Tadase had literally stood on top of the bench and crossed his arms.

"Tadase-kun?" Amu screamed in shock and fear.

Passing people who weren't stalking like us stopped to stare.

Amu, Nagihiko and I were gawking at him, mortified, while Ikuto was smiling in satisfaction.

"…his eyes turned murderous…" I softly pointed-out.

Nagihiko blinked. "I swear to Kami…I can see fire in his background…"

Cat figures (Ears and a tail) popped out from Ikuto's body. "I'll leave kiddy king to you…_Amu_…" When he said her name like that, a faint blush crept its way to Amu's face.

…and just like that…he jumped off, from building to building and tree to tree…leaving Amu in a daze and an out-of-control Tadase.

"You there!" Tadase laughed, pointing straight at Amu. Amu jumped a bit then shakily turned to her 'prince'

"H-hai…Tadase-kun…?" She sputtered. Tadase crossed his arms. "From now on, thou shalt call me Tadase! Thou shall call me king! Hahahahaha! Hahahahaha!"

Amu looked around in panic. Something seemed to catch her eye, though. From the side of a bush not to far away, she grabbed a bucket then hurried to Tadase's side.

"King…I'm sorry for doing this!" She yelled, placing the bucket over Tadase's head. Almost immediately, the maniac laughter stopped. Tadase gently took the bucket off, his face now jet-beat red. "D-did I character change…Amu-chan…?" He whispered. Amu nodded, relieved that the bucket actually worked.

"I'm sorry! You must think badly of me now!" Tadase exclaimed, curling himself into an emo ball with depression lines slowly sliding off his forehead.

Amu panicked.

"N-no! No! It's okay, Tadase-kun!"

Nagihiko and I watched in amusement as Amu went to try and comfort the bright blonde boy.

Beside me, Nagihiko sighed.

"Two decent guys… I've got nothing to worry about." He placed his hands on the pocket of his pants then walked away, his shoulders sagged. I quickly followed.

"You're deeply in-love with Amu, aren't you…" I said. Nagihiko stiffened then turned to me.

"Um…yeah…sorta…"

"Sorta?"

"Okay…I've been deeply in-love with Amu-chan after getting to know the real her…"

I don't know why but I was affected. A slight…pang of pain passed me as I slowly backed away.

"Does it hurt?" I asked, my voice surprisingly rough. It must've been the shock that caused my voice to be hard and cold.

I'm okay. I won't cry over something this silly.

Besides, crying would make me look weak in front of my nemesis.

"Does it hurt?" I repeated. My voice this time was tougher. After years of practicing to hold back, I finally managed to be good at it.

Nagihiko slid his hand through his (marvelous) hair.

"Yes. It hurts to realize that I'm not a part of her love triangle but…" He turned to me with a smile. "It's not as painful as I thought! I wonder why…" He said, placing a finger on his chin in wonder at the last part. It sounded like he really didn't know why. Not too long after he said that, he was deep in thought.

I bowed my head so the bangs covered my face.

"So basically…it hurt you to see Amu with another guy. That simple…" I whispered, soft enough to keep him from hearing.

The moment was then immediately ruined by a deafening and irritating screech.

"Fujisaki Nadeshiko!"

Nagihiko and I stiffened then we reluctantly turned around, only to realize that the source of the voice belonged to a girl with brownish red and spiral hair and piercing dark green eyes. She wore an off-shoulder white blouse, a thigh-high pink mini skirt and golden high-heels. Dangles nearly covered both her wrists, small golden earrings drooped from her ear and a golden belt rested on her hip.

"Fujisaki Nadeshiko…you look so much like a boy in that outfit. I mean…so flat and slightly masculine…how could I miss it? You're a boy, aren't you!" The girl said, narrowing her already narrow eyes at Nagihiko while pointing an accusing finger at him. She said all that in a scream, as if she was eager to get an answer and then spread the rumor to the entire school.

Nagihiko gulped while I literally face-palmed myself.

Of all people…

…why did _she_ have to be the one to see him in this? Once this snob knows a secret, then that secret could be broadcasted to the entire school within seconds!

Why did it have to be Saaya Yamabuki to catch him in this?

**

* * *

**

Wow. Saaya knows. Wonder what she'll do! Of course, there's no stopping her from sharing a juicy little secret…especially if this little secret could ruin the life of a person she visibly hates!

**The Saaya conflict will be settled on the next chapter. The Guardian thing will be settled on…either the next one or the one after the next one!**

**I'm not forcing you too but I would also appreciate your reviews, people **^v^


	17. We're twins!

**Chapter 17**

**Omigod! I love you all! (Major glompage)**

**Thanks for the awesome reviews. I had a bad day because a party didn't turn out well. You see, I was in a terrible mood right after (you know...dramatization, depression blah bah blah, why-oh-why?) but then I read the reviews right after and I'm so happy!**

**Anyway, on with the story!**

**~~~~~~Rima's POV; as always~~~~~~**

_Nagihiko gulped while I literally face-palmed myself. Of all people…why did she have to be the one to see him in this? Once this snob knows a secret, then that secret could be broadcasted to the entire school within seconds!_

_Why did it have to be Saaya Yamabuki to catch him in this?_

"So answer me, Fujisaki!" She snapped.

Anger boiled at the pit of my stomach. _No one_ other than _me_ is allowed to make Nagihiko feel miserable!

I looked at Nagihiko, who was now biting his lip in anxiety. Saaya smirked.

"Fujisaki Nadeshiko…after three seconds I want an answer from you or I will tell everyone who…or _what _you truly are! Just think about your fanboys! They would so look down on you once they realize this-"

"Just shut up, Burriko!" I spat. Nagihiko and Saaya turned to me with shocked expressions.

"Only _I_ am allowed to torment Nagihiko like this!"

Saaya huffed then grinned. "So _Nagihiko _is your real name? How charming! Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be busy calling everyone in Seiyo about this!"

"What about the seconds, Saaya-san?" Nagihiko said, not bothering to use his high, sugary voice.

"Huh?" She hissed.

Nagihiko gave Saaya his charming smile…making my face boil in anger.

I mean…why waste a perfect smile on _her_? On that _Burriko_!

"You said that you'll give me seconds, right?"

Saaya stubbornly flew her hands to her waist then cocked her head. "Okay the, Fujisaki. One…two…"

"I'm Nadeshiko's older twin brother. We're normally apart but I'm staying in Japan for the meantime" He said casually, and if I didn't know the truth, I would've believed him. Saaya and I gawked.

Me, because I'm surprised at how good a liar he can be.

Saaya, only Kami knows why…

"O-oh…sorry…" She trailed off, obviously embarrassed.

Ha! Take that, Burriko! Absorb all the shame! Take it all, you shameless thing!

"It's okay…" Nagihiko smiled…

Oh no…why do I get this feeling he's going to do what he usually does to get his way around girls…?

He gently got Saaya's hand then caressed it.

"I can't bring myself to not forgive a girl as cute and beautiful as you…Saaya…" Burriko was totally red. In fact, steam seemed to come off her very hot face.

Nagihiko, that idiot…

It's hard to believe how different he can be from Nadeshiko…

"N-Nagihiko…" Saaya-baka sputtered, her face pink. "I-I'm really sorry that I was very mean and…and…" Suddenly, she clutched her very red face then made a fan-girl scream while twisting and squirming. "Oh my! What a gentleman!" She shrieked.

I tip-toed so I was about Nagihiko's height then whispered, "Now's our chance to leave her, purple-head!" Nagihiko sweat-dropped at the nickname but he silently followed me anyway.

Just when we were a few inches from Saaya, Nagihiko immediately fell back. I looked to see what happened, only to realize that Saaya had pulled him back by the hand.

He was twitching; he's obviously regretting flirting with Saaya.

"~Nagi-koi! Don't tell me that you're in a date with Mashiro-bozu over there! You know, she always breaks many hearts! I'll treasure you, and she'll treat you like trash. Go out with me instead!" She pouted.

I saw red and fire…

I swear I did…

I clutched my hands then took a deep breath.

The hand that had a brain of its own grabbed Nagihiko by the pinky and pulled him back to me. I went in front of him then glared at Saaya, making her flinch.

"No gentleman would be interested in a snobby burriko like you!" I got Nagihiko's hand then dragged him away. In the midst of it all, I stopped then turned to Saaya, a teasing smirk playing across my face.

"…Oh, and Purple-head and I are not dating…"

At home…after the 'date' as Nagihiko calls it…

"Rima! What you did there was really cool!" Kusukusu squealed. I hugged the pillow closer to my chest.

"I-I naturally hate burrikos! There's no surprise that I did all that…"

"-but you also naturally hate boys, such as Nagi, and burrikos, such as Nadeshiko! Yay! Rima-tan doesn't hate Nagi as much as before Yay! Yay! Yay!" Kusukusu started to sing. I sighed.

"What makes you say that I don't hate him anymore?"

"You transferred the Burriko nickname- the nickname you would only call people that you really hate- to Saaya-tan!" Kusukusu giggled.

"But I call him Purple-head…" I pointed-out. Kusukusu laughed.

"It's a _personal_ nickname!"

"That's because I hate him so much that I'd give him a personal nickname!"

"…But what about defending him from Sa-"

I shut the lights before Kusukusu could finish her sentence. Hastily, I cuddled myself under the blankets. "I've had enough. Goodnight, Kusukusu…"

Knowing what she'll do next, I brought the pillows over my ears as my chara tried to reason out in high-pitched screams.

3:00 in the morning!

_Ring…_

_Ring…_

I groaned.

_Ring…_

_Ring…_

Who can be calling so early in the morning? Why can't they just leave me to my sleep?

_Ring…_

_Ring…_

I swear…I swear to Kami that I will never replace this phone once it breaks. No cell phones basically means no worries!

_Ring…_

_Ring…_

"Rima…Rima, can you answer that already? I can't sleep!" Kusukusu cried, opening her egg a bit but enough to let me see her rubbing her eyes with her small, dot-like hand.

_Ring…_

_Ring…_

"Ugh! Fine!" I grumbled, getting off the bed to answer my phone. I immediately brought it to my ears, not bothering to check the caller I.D.

"What?" I yelled.

"Wha! Rima-chi you're so mean to answer me like that!"

I sighed. "It's so early in the morning. You'd better expect _mean_ answers…"

Yaya paused on the other line. "W-well…yeah…when Yaya called Tadase-kun, he was screaming some things about world domination!"

I silently snickered, remembering the character change incident at the park. I immediately brought my focus to Yaya, though.

"What do you want?" I hissed. Even though she's on the other line and I couldn't see her, I can tell that Yaya was grinning. "Go to the principal's office tomorrow at Seiyo. It's Tsukasa-kun's orders!"

_Beep Beep Beep_

I glared at the phone. I can't believe Yaya would hang up on me just like that before she could even tell me what time and why. Also, I didn't get to complain about the fact that tomorrow is _Sunday_! A day of freedom! No school! So why would I want to go to that hell of a place?

I looked around me then sighed.

School is less of a hell compared to "home", though…

"Fine…" I silently muttered.

_**To**__: Yaya Y._

_**From**__: Rima M._

_**Subject:**__ Gah_

_You so owe me for this. What time?_

_

* * *

_

"Rima-chi!" I backed away as Yaya tackled me to the ground. "Rima-chi, You have no idea how glad Yaya is that you came!"

"Ugh. Yaya…would you tell me why I have to be here so early in the morning?"

I heard a sigh. "My, my…it's 11:00 am, Rima-tan. It's not early at all…"

I know that sweet, sugary voice from anywhere. I looked over my shoulder, only to see Nadeshiko. She/he wore a pink, floral skirt that ended on her knee-cap, an orange blouse (Yes, no cleavages) and brown, slender boots.

I also noticed Amu and Tadase smiling at me as they sat on the two chairs by the principal's table, where Tsukasa sat.

Yes, our beloved principal was sitting on the _table_.

"Amu!" I cried, running over to my best friend. Amu smiled as I embraced her and hugged me back.

"You're surprisingly all cuddly and stuff. ~Nee, Amu-chan, did you know that Rima-chan is actually a devil in disguise?" Nadeshiko teased. Again, I sent her a death glare.

"…says the evil _madam_…"

"Yeah, yeah, sure…" She sighed, examining her trimmed nails. Amu looked between the two of us then pouted. She probably wanted a happy group of friends- one that consisted of no rivalry- and I felt guilty that I couldn't give her that.

"So anyway, what did you call us for, uncle?" Tadase asked the carefree principal. All of us whipped our heads to Tadase, our expressions mortified.

"Uncle?" I exclaimed with the rest. Tadase gave us all a sheepish grin then rubbed the back of his head. "Um…yeah. Did I not tell you guys? I'm sorry, I thought you knew…"

"Anyway…" Tsukasa waved his hand as if he was shooing away topic. He turned to us, faces still probably looked mortified then he grinned even wider. "I suppose you're wondering why I called you here" He said. I huffed.

"Of course we are! I had to wake up at 10: 45 just so I can get here on time. That definitely ruined my Sunday schedule to sleep in" I spat. Nagihiko giggled while the rest just gave me nervous glances. Amu, however, was nodding in agreement.

"Neither Rima or I were the morning person type" She mumbled.

"Well, Mashiro, you're not going to complain once you hear this wonderful news!" Kukai, who was sitting beside Tsukasa on the table, gave me his popular thumbs up. I swiftly turned to Tsukasa.

"What's the news?" I eagerly asked. Amu and Tadase looked just as curious as me, but Nagihiko was whistling songs calmly. Yaya and Kukai grinned wider.

The two of them knew?

"Well…" Kukai started. He was immediately cut off by Yaya.

"We get to be Seiyo High's student council with special privileges and all that! Isn't that great! Free candy and sweets!" She exclaimed. All of us blinked…

It was shocking.

How can I be in the Student council? My grades were poor! Amu too...

Kukai covered the hyper-Yaya's mouth.

"That's not what she meant. You see…Tsukasa can see guardian characters" All of us turned to Tsukasa in shock and wonder "…and…he wants to place us six, with the guardian characters, in one special group called the guardians. Our mission is to cleanse all the x eggs in Seiyo, therefore we can excuse ourselves from class anytime if ever an egg is extracted during class time. The best part of it is…"

Kukai grinned wider. "…We have special privileges!"

"Like what, Souma-kun?" Nadeshiko asked in her sweet, high voice. She crossed her legs then let her fingers go through her pony-tailed, long, shiny locks. Kukai blushed then coughed.

"…Usage of special rooms anytime, free snacks and a special building of our own; Tsukasa wants to call it the Royal Garden"

"Oh. That's nice" She…he said, turning to Tsukasa with piercing eyes. "…But what about Rima-chan? She has _terrible_ grades! Oh my…if she keeps on excusing herself, she's going to be a drop-out!" She brought her hands over her lips as if she were troubled.

Seriously! Can't he stop being overly-dramatic?

Tsukasa nodded his head understandingly.

"That is why I want you to tutor her, Nadeshiko-san"

Nagihiko and I stiffened.

"I-I don't mind!" He flushed. I, however, am not giving up just like that. I slammed my tiny fists on the desk, much to everyone's surprise.

I let a snarl escape my lips as I sent our slender principal a deathly glare.

"I am _not_ going to let purple-head tutor me. Got that?"

Tsukasa must've been frightened because he immediately kicked all six of us out of the room, telling us to go check on our building. He shut the door after that and a few seconds later, he opened it a creak wide then threw a piece of paper on the floor. When we looked at it, it was a map.

…A map that lead us to a glassy and remarkable building somewhere behind the school building.

And so that brings us to where we are now…

"It's beautiful…" Amu whispered.

"It's so fancy. Yaya likes it…"

"I hope that uncle didn't use his life-savings to build this…" This one was sweat-dropping.

"You're wrong. He used _your _life savings…" The one that said this was teasing. Immediately, Tadase jerked his head.

"Fujisaki-san, don't be like that!" He groaned.

Nadeshiko smiled. "Yup. Sorry. I was just teasing…"

"Shouldn't we enter it now?" I said, hesitantly touching the door knob. It was metal and felt cold on my hands.

"D-don't break it! Be careful, Rima!" Amu panicked. I gulped.

"Wow. That looks like an expensive piece of doorknob. Try to imagine how the building itself must've cost…" Kukai whistled.

50 minutes later

"Wow! We finally managed to open the door without putting a single scratch on the knob!" Kukai exclaimed. I was dripping in sweat.

Why didn't Tsukasa just buy a simpler building?

Once the rest of us entered, our jaws immediately dropped. Its interior was so much better than the outside.

Cherry blossoms, willows, peach blossoms, violets, white roses, irises, maple trees, sakura trees and other exquisite sort of plants scattered the sides of the garden, giving it a wonderful combination of colors. At the very middle of the garden was a fountain, whose water was continuously flowing. The high ceiling was made of glass, letting in the warm rays of sunlight.

"I could get used to going here all the time…" I breathed.

Nagihiko, or should I say Nadeshiko, was the first to recover from the shock of this garden's beauty. She walked ahead then climbed a tiny fly of stairs, where a table with seven chairs rested.

"King…Queen… Queen…Joker…Ace…Jack…and Jack…what's with these cards on each chair?" She wondered out loud. Kukai sprang up to his feet then raced towards Nadeshiko. He got the jack card then sat on the chair where it lay.

"Maybe there's a specific chair for us to sit in…"

"Ah! Yaya forgot to tell you all, you have specific roles! Um…let's see if Yaya remembers this right…" She walked over then looked at each card placed on each seat.

"Tadase-kun is the king, Naddy and Rima-tan is Queen, Amu-chi is the joker, Yaya's the ace while Kukai is the jack!" She said happily.

I ran past everyone then took my seat in the Queen's chair closer to the joker.

"My chair's closer to Amu!" I said, looking at Nadeshiko with my tongue sticking out. Nadeshiko shrugged. "So? I have amazing, manipulating powers!" She said. I rolled my eyes.

"Yeah right…"

She sat in the second Queen's chair beside me, making me grumble.

I stiffened when a warm hand wrapped around me and Nadeshiko's shoulders.

"Come on, now! Don't fight!" Amu pleaded. I smiled at her. "I'll try to be nice to purple-head for your sake, Amu!" I said.

"Um…" Yaya started. We all turned to her. She was looking at the empty Jack's chair.

"I think Tsukasa accidentally put in an extra chair…" She mused.

What a clumsy guy…

Suddenly, I heard the Garden's door slam open. All of us snapped our heads to the door, which was now open to its fullest.

When I noticed Burriko, I paled while Nagihiko choked on nothing.

Saaya stood at the middle of the doorway. She wore white stockings, a brown leather coat that ended around five inches above her knee-cap, brown high-heeled clogs and a brown beret.

"Fujisaki Nadeshiko!" She pointed a finger at Nadeshiko, who was now currently trembling.

"You never told me you had a twin brother that's as hot as Nagihiko! Tell me! What's his type of girl?" She demanded.

Tadase and I sweat-dropped while the rest's eyes dotted in shock.

"Twin brother?" Faints…

"Naddy has a hot twin brother?"

"Fujisaki never told us!"

"Oh my…" I snickered.

Tadase remained silent while Nadeshiko waved her hands.

"W-what do you think you're doing here…Yamabuki-san?" She said in a shaky voice.

* * *

**Haha! I couldn't help it! Saaya's character always seemed to amuse me. She's like the annoying, snobby fan-girl type and I couldn't help but add her in this story. Kirima fluff will come in a few more chapters (Don't kill me! Please!) Of course, we all know that this story will always end with a Rimahiko. We just need to confuse Rima a little bit.**

**Wow. A love triangle for Amu and Rima, but for Rima, nobody knows about her triangle thus, they all always try to pair her up with Kirishima alone.**

**I wonder how Nadeshiko will be like, since she has to participate in this whole matchmaking thing. (P.S. Kirishima won't come in the next chapter, okay!)**

**And…I'm sure you all know who the missing jack is. Hint: A lot of you suggested this boy when I forgot who the seven children with guardian characters are.**


	18. I should've told a white lie!

**Chapter 18**

"_Fujisaki Nadeshiko!" Saaya pointed a finger at Nadeshiko, who was now currently trembling. _

"_You never told me you had a twin brother that's as hot as Nagihiko! Tell me! What's his type of girl?" She demanded._

_Tadase and I sweat-dropped while the rest's eyes dotted in shock._

"_Twin brother?" Faints…_

"_Naddy has a hot twin brother?"_

"_Fujisaki never told us!"_

"_Oh my…" I snickered._

_Tadase remained silent while Nadeshiko waved her hands._

"_W-what do you think you're doing here…Yamabuki-san?" She said in a shaky voice._

The clamps of Saaya's high-heeled sandals echoed through the Royal Garden as she stomped towards purple-head. She seemed too eager to get an answer from Nadeshiko to not notice the garden's beauty.

"Tell me!" She screamed. Realizing that she wasn't suspecting them to be the same, Nagihiko's eyes immediately turned bored despite Saaya's excitement. He brought his hands over his lips then let out a 'Nadeshiko voiced' yawn.

"…He hates whores such as you, Yamabki-san. You have no chance" He mumbled.

Amu was now slowly recovering from her faint while Yaya and Kukai watched Saaya disbelievingly.

Tadase and I chuckled chuckled.

Wow. How different Nagihiko can be from Nadeshiko…

Saaya groaned. "How can such a gentleman have a twin like you?"

I nearly fell off my chair from laughter.

If only she knew…

* * *

Saaya was chuckling to herself as she watched the shocked expressions forming Amu, Kukai and Yaya's faces.

"…So…let me get this straight. You caught this boy, who also happens to be Nadeshiko's twin, named Nagihiko…and you say that he's really cute…" Amu tilted her head. Nadeshiko was biting her bottom lip as cold sweat ran down her forehead and Saaya's grin widened, almost reaching her disgusting lips! She abruptly stood up, much to our surprise then cleared her throat, as if she was about to make a speech.

"Gather around me, ya'll! For I, Saaya Yamabuki, have cause _the_ Amu Hinamori to go into a complete state of shock, enough to make her faint-"

"-Of course my best friend would be shocked, you moron! You totally described Nagihiko as if he's the hottest guy in the universe! She didn't even know Nadeshiko had a twin to begin with!" I sprang up then pulled Saaya's hair as I said those. Saaya was literally screaming under the pain shooting through her head but that only made me feel prouder. Finally, Kukai stood in between the two of us before this could turn into a cat fight (Which the two…I mean three boys didn't seem to mind watching)

"You're just jealous, Mashiro, because Fujisaki-kun is more interested in me!" Kukai tightened his grip on Saaya's wrists as she struggled to be freed so she could claw me. I, on the other hand, had control over myself and was standing before her with crossed arms and a blank expression.

"Let me tell you three things you don't know about Nagihiko Fujisaki, Burriko" I sneered.

Everyone in the garden paralyzed from shock. Even Kukai's grip on Saaya loosened since his strength was temporarily gone.

I didn't notice their expressions, though (especially Nagihiko's) so I brought my hands over my hips then tilted them to the left.

"First of all, he is super rich and handsome!"

I brought my arms to my chest so they crossed.

I raised my brow at Saaya then sneered.

"Second, he's a gentleman, not to mention a great guy. If you're only after his looks, then something's wrong with you!"

Finally, I tilted my head, leaned in so my face was closer to Saaya's (Amazingly shocked) face then smirked.

"Third, he's not interested in a whore like you!"

Awkward silence…

It was then that I remembered that the room not only contained Saaya. My other friends, including my nemesis Nagihiko himself, was there, their jaws hanging wide open and their eyes wide with shock.

Nagihiko…

…I got too carried away in that little fight!

…He heard what I just said!

"NO!" I yelped, scrunching myself into a little ball.

I felt my cheeks and they were really hot…

Saaya was silent for once. At first, I was afraid that I've gone too far. After all, no guy has ever rejected her and that turned her into a complete jerk.

When I whipped my head in her direction, though, she was glaring down at me with narrowed eyes and angrily tilted lips.

Oh Kami…

She looks like a devil, ready to scrape me off my skin…

…I love my skin…

"Baka!" She yelled, tapping her foot hardly.

"Most guys in Seiyo dream of me!" I rolled my eyes. "Boys dream of me! They fawn over me! So why must Nagi-_koi_ be any different?"

"K-k-k-koi?" Nadeshiko and I yelled at the same time. Saaya nodded then, with a proud smile, strut off. "Yes! _koi_. Not too long from now, that's what I'll be calling him!"

A sweat-drop fell from Nagihiko's head.

"…Must I remind you that you're at the bottom of the top thirty cutest girls in Seiyo, Burriko?" I called of with a smile. When she left (Slamming the door after her, of course), Amu, Yaya and Kukai tried to gasp for air at the shock. Tadase calmly sat on his place then drank off my tea.

Grr…I caught him stealing my tea…

"Let it go, Rima-chan. I can always make you a new one" Nade-…_Nagihiko_ caught my arm before I scolded Tadase.

When he touched me, time seemed to pause. In a click, I remembered everything I told Saaya about him. I felt heat flood my face once again, and out of instinct, I slammed my foot against his, making his wince in pain.

"B-baka! You do realize that what I everything I said about your brother isn't how I see him? I-it's just to humiliate Saaya! That's all!" I stuttered out loud, the already warm temperature on my cheeks continuing to rise. Nagihiko continued to caress his injured foot while the rest watched us in amusement

"So what is Nadeshiko's twin really like, Rima?" Amu asked in a surprisingly calm way.

I'm guessing that Tadase or Kukai must've replaced her iced chocolate shake with calming tea because in a case like this, the _normal_ Amu would be freaking out.

"…Yes, Rima-chan?" Yaya said. I face-palmed myself then turned to the two boys.

"What did you give them?" I asked. They shivered.

"W-what are you talking about?" They trembled in unison. I rolled my eyes then ignored the two, although I could see a bottle with the words 'Tokyo; calming tea; best drank when stressed out' imprinted on it popping out of their backs.

Just before I was about to exit the garden, Nagihiko stopped me. He leaned down then whispered in his high, sugary voice, "Can you at least answer their question? Just what is Nagihiko really like? Say your honest opinions about him now. Saaya's not here to watch…and it's only me that'll listen…"

I gulped then clenched my fists as sweat flowed down my forehead.

"I-I like having him around…" I breathed.

A very slight tint of pink made its way to the corners of Nagihiko's cheeks. He leaned away from me then blinked in surprise. I took this opportunity to bust out of the garden door before any of my friends could think of anymore questions for me to answer.

"Why didn't I tell a white lie?" A cursed under my breath as I hurried back home.

* * *

**Hey, hey! Sorry it was short! Personally, though, I like the ending of this chapter. Now…for the next chapter…um…**

**Here's a preview:**

"_~Nee! I have a guardian character named Pepe-chan but…I still can't find her!'_

"_Ran, Miki and Su are missing too…"_

"_Jeez! Even when playing soccer, Daichi doesn't take this long!"_

"_Come to think of it, Kusukusu's been missing eve since yesterday morning!"_

_Purple-head reached for his pocket, and I felt my heart literally pump faster as he brought out a light-pink egg decorated with sakura flowers. "Mine's safe…" He sighed in relief._

_We all turned to Tadase, who was paled and silent the entire time we've been worrying about our missing charas._

"_Tadase-kun, do you have anything to say?" Amu asked. Tadase brought an arm behind his head in a shy manner._

"_U-umm…if…by any chance, my chara has met all of yours then…I wouldn't be surprised if I see him laughing like a maniac as he watches your charas dig their way to Canada to fulfill world domination…"_

**Yup. I noticed how I hardly included the charas. **

***Sigh* My plot is so messed-up (LOL)**


	19. We're not friends! We're archenemies!

**Chapter 19**

**Hey! Thanks for the reviews for the previous chapter. I love feedbacks!**

**Because some reviewers might be anonymous, and because some readers might have the same question/ request for this story, I might as well answer your reviews in this part of the author's note:**

**Pequinessa: …About putting in Nagi's POV, I don't think I can. I don't know why…but I actually want the way he feels for Rima to be kept a mystery for now. Also, I have no idea how boys really think, considering I study in an all-girl's school. Writing his POV is also the hardest for me. Thanks for requesting, though!**

**Yup! And thanks for those who are continuously reviewing, and maybe even those who are silently reading and (hopefully) enjoying this fanfic.**

**Now…on with the story!**

* * *

"Whaa! I don't want to do this anymore ~dechu!"

"She's right ~desu!"

"…Although he's somehow really charming as he does nothing but sit around and watch us work…"

"What?" All six charas gawked they watched the blue spade chara squeal.

The green-haired chara raised his miniature spoon then growled. "I don't even think Kukai's looking for me!"

"I agree with Daichi!" Ran cheered.

The laughter of Kusukusu emitted through the six-inched hole everyone worked so hard to make.

**~~~~~~Rima's POV~~~~~~**

I paled at the sight before me.

…My room was…

…My room was…

My room was transformed into a forest…

"I can't believe they even brought the war zone to my room! Now all I have is the couch!" I exclaimed.

My blanket was crumpled and hanging by my study chair, which was tipped over. The jar by my window was shattered as it motionlessly lay on the ground. My huge wardrobe was even tilted, with only my slowly breaking study table supporting it. Shoes, dresses and other articles of clothing was scattered to the ground.

"We're sorry, Rima. Your father and I got carried away in our little talk…" I stiffened when I felt my mother beside me speak. Although she says that, she didn't sound like it at all. She turned away from me then walked off, leaving me with a jungle to clean.

I turned to my mom with dull eyes.

How can they not care?

I had an embarrassing day at the garden. I said something I never should've said in front of the person whom I didn't want to tell it to. When I left the garden, I wanted nothing more than to get home, lie on my bed and sulk without anyone seeing me. Unfortunately, I was greeted by this mess.

I sighed then shut the door without bothering to come in.

My room was contaminated with a terrible atmosphere I call 'My parent's fight'. I don't want to think in place that was just violently knocked out by two people I didn't want to fight. I dragged myself to the couch then slumped myself into it.

Something's not right.

Normally, Kusukusu would speak with me, making me feel just a little bit better.

Abruptly, I sat up then looked around as I remembered…Kusukusu wasn't with me almost the entire day.

In majority of my problems, I could only rely on something that has helped me countless times. It was there for me, even before Kusukusu was born to comfort me…

My cell phone…

I grabbed and hastily flipped it open, hurriedly scrolling to Amu's name.

_**To:**__ Amu_

_**From:**__ Rima_

_**Subject:**__ charas_

_Are your charas with you? Kusukusu's missing…_

I sent it to her with a sigh. After a few seconds, my phone beeped and vibrated. I hopefully checked the text message and smiled when I saw Amu's name.

_**To:**__ Rima_

_**From:**__ Amu_

_**Subject: RE: **__charas_

_No. Kukai and Yaya's are gone too. Why don't we all meet up at Nadeshiko's place?  
We'll talk about it there._

I sighed.

_**To: **__Amu_

_**From:**__ Rima_

_**Subject:**__**RE: RE: **__charas_

_Why Nadeshiko's place?_

After awhile, I got a reply. According to Amu, she said Nadeshiko's place is very spacious.

'_Let's meet there now. It's close to the love temple by the park. You couldn't miss it…'_

I silently muttered bloody murder as I changed into a purple dress, flats and a violet head-band.

Seeing that my parents were arguing by the living room, I sighed, stomped to my bedroom then brought out a rope with knots on then tied it to my bed. With a sigh, I let it fall off my window as I climbed down.

I noticed our neighbor, which was reading a newspaper by his front yard, stare at me, mortified.

I got down, dusting the dirt off my dress then raced to the love-knot temple, leaving the neighbor shocked and amused. As I walked at the subdivision, I slowed and looked at the names of the people living in it.

Takashima…

Shimizu…

Hayase…

Fuyuki…I blushed.

I felt relieved when I saw the words 'Fujisaki Residence' but jumped in shock when I saw…a huge, Japanese-styled mansion towering me.

I mean…I knew he was rich and all but I never expected around more than five-hundred rooms for the 'house'.

I stood by the large gate, hesitating to ring the doorbell. I don't know why I was so nervous. Maybe…it was because of what I said earlier. I left the Royal Garden because I was so nervous to face him after I said that yet here I am, in front of his large "house".

"Stop staring at the gate as if it's a portal to another dimension, Rima" Relieved, I turned to the source of the voice, which was Amu, with Yaya, Kukai and Tadase behind.

"Why are you guys together?" I glared. Kukai shrugged. "We all met along the way!"

Without hesitation, or even giving us the chance to blink, Yaya rang the doorbell in excitement.

A woman whose wavy, violet hair was tied to a bun opened the gate, and I couldn't help but gasp at her beauty.

"You must be Nadeshiko's friends. Come in" She said in a formal manner. Her movements were graceful as she widened the door to let us in. Her long, refined kimono was tight around her waist, defining her beautiful, slim curves and the sleeves reached her wrist, showing off her slender fingers.

Amu and Yaya were obviously shocked by the formality because the two stiffened.

"T-t-thank you for having us!" They bowed, too low and rough to actually be considered elegant. I gulped then tried to do a proper courtesy.

"It's nice to be in your presence" I said, trying not to stutter. I'm not sure if this is the right thing to do. I'm only doing what most western cartoons do to show formality. Honestly, I doubt that doing a courtesy isn't the proper thing to do.

I expected the woman to frown, thinking that we weren't taught well enough to be proper ladies but instead, she smiled at the three of us in an endearing manner. "Come in!" She said, gently bringing us three through the door, and leaving the two boys by the gate.

Kukai coughed.

"W-we'll follow…" He said awkwardly while Tadase blinked at the mother's rudeness towards them.

Nagihiko's mother got a maid named Baaya to bring us to Nadeshiko's room.

On our way, Yaya was excitedly looking around. She would occasionally cut-off from the line to look at a random room, much to our embarrassment.

"Sorry about Yaya. She's always like that!" Sighed Kukai, who too was now being led since it's the maid this time that was showing the way. The maid bowed. "It is alright since you five are Lady Nadeshiko's friends"

"~Nee! Where's Nagihiko's room?" Yaya asked. I gasped while the maid looked at her in confusion.

"May I ask who this _Nagihiko_ is?" She said. I had to cover Yaya's mouth to keep her from speaking some more yet I was curious.

Why didn't this woman know Nagihiko? I studied her expression and it was totally clueless. It's as if it's the first time she actually heard the name.

Then again, after being in the Fujisaki household for so long, maybe she too was good at acting.

The five of us walked in silence, the tension and awkward silence building up. Even Yaya was starting to get quiet. My shoulders were now rigid and every step felt like hell. The maid was silent and the hallways were too neat. For once, I wish I could just pack up and go to the mountains where no one knows manners. That way, I don't need to worry so much about how to act.

When we got to Nagihiko's room, he welcomed us then rudely shut the door on the maid's face, which surprised (and slightly relieved) us, considering we've been treated too formally until now.

"Just as I though. Amu and Yaya-chan are out of breath after dealing with mother and one of the maids!" He said in his high, sugary voice. Amu collapsed on the bed, followed by Yaya.

"If I have to bow one more time then I am going to die!" Amu screamed, making Nagihiko chuckle. At this, I sent him a 'just-go-and-die' glare, making him pause and sweat-drop.

"N-now…about the meeting…" He stuttered.

"~Nee! I have a guardian character named Pepe-chan but…I still can't find her!" Yaya said, sitting on the floor by the table while bringing out her candy to chew on.

Amu brought her hands to her chin then sighed in desperation.

"Ran, Miki and Su are missing too…"

"Jeez! Even when playing soccer, Daichi doesn't take this long!" Kukai exclaimed.

I sighed as I kneeled on the floor between Amu and Nagihiko.

"Come to think of it, Kusukusu's been missing eve since yesterday morning!"

Purple-head reached for his pocket, and I felt my heart literally pump faster as he brought out a light-pink egg decorated with sakura flowers. "Mine's safe…" He sighed in relief.

We all turned to Tadase, who was paled and silent the entire time we've been worrying about our missing charas.

"Tadase-kun, do you have anything to say?" Amu asked. Tadase brought an arm behind his head in a shy manner.

"U-umm…if…by any chance, my chara has met all of yours then…I wouldn't be surprised if I see him laughing like a maniac as he watches your charas dig their way to Canada to fulfill world domination…"

"What?" We all screamed.

What. The. Heck.

"Y-you mean…" Kukai babbled.

"Kusukusu's…" I gasped.

Nagihiko brought his hands over his lips.

"Oh my…"

And so, reassured that our charas are okay and would be coming back around sometime tonight, Nagihiko (politely this time) asked the same maid, Baaya, for rice balls.

We ate, casually talking and laughing until the sound of thunder echoed followed by a downpour.

Silence…

"WHAAAAAAA!" Yaya cried, tightly hugging Kukai by the torso and digging her face into his chest in a child-like manner.

"H-h-h-help me!" Amu screamed, clinging unto me.

Kukai surprisingly didn't say anything so I looked at him, only to gag when I saw him devouring Amu and Yaya's share of rice balls since they were in the state of shock.

Nadeshiko…Nagihiko…or whatever you want to call him stood up then walked to the window. A sigh emitting from his lips made me freeze. "It looks too dangerous for you to walk home. Even for cars, it doesn't look safe. Do you guys mind staying over?" He asked.

My heart-beat paced up.

Everyone calmly nodded as I tried to breathe. It didn't take them long to realize that I was in shock.

"Rima! Are you okay?" Amu asked, slightly shaking me. I stood up then walked to Nagihiko. "Where's your phone?" I asked. Nagihiko looked at me with a puzzled look but grabbed my hand then started dragging me along anyway.

"Let go of me!" I screeched. Nagihiko turned to me with a slight smile.

"I'm bringing you to the phone. Why don't you seem at all glad?" He said. Nagihiko continued to walk past many rooms and scary statues. On the way, I noticed how he was beginning to slow down. After awhile, he completely stopped in the middle of the hallway.

I looked around but there wasn't any phone. When he let go of my hand, I felt panic building up.

"W-why…?"

"Seriously, Rima-chan. Did you mean what you said in the garden?" He mumbled. I lightly blushed then turned away from him. I was hoping I'd forget about that…

"S-so? I say that to Amu and some other friends all the time!"

"But I thought we were rivals?"

"Archenemies" I corrected. He sighed then looked at me.

"So why did you say you liked having me around?" He asked. I bit my lip.

I opened my mouth but nothing came out at first. It's all so mixed up. I don't know why I said that…

"I-is it bad for me to…like having you near me?" I finally stuttered. I slowly peeked at him from the space my long bangs gave. When he was smiling casually, I couldn't help but feel relief wash over me. I'm not sure why, but I expected him to laugh at me.

"Not at all…" He said, bending down so his face was the same level as mine.

I froze.

"Thank you, Rima-chan…" He said, slowly bringing himself forward and lightly pecking me on the cheeks.

I was ingrained, slightly disappointed yet slightly happy. My mind was fighting over whether or not I like it.

Instinctively, I brought my hand over to the area in my cheek that was kissed. He chuckled.

"No need to think too much about it, Rima-chan! You can't consider that your first kiss. It's on the cheek. Besides, _friends_ do it often!"

"We're not friends!" Although I said that, my face was hot and my voice squeaked, giving me a stubborn look. Nagihiko laughed, "You're so cute when you're flushed like that!"

I puffed my cheeks and crossed my arms as I waited for the blush to fade. It didn't.

"Baka…" I accused. Nagihiko sighed happily then reached out for his other pocket (The one not containing the pink egg)

If I was drinking something, I would've spit it out once I saw that the item Nagihiko brought out was his cell phone.

"You had that with you this entire time? Then why didn't you just lend it to me back there in the room?" I screeched. Nagihiko sighed. "Imagine the other's reaction when they heard what we just talked about"


	20. He doesn't have problems to begin with!

**Chapter 20**

**Muzikchic4eva: Thanks for the suggestion. I'm not sure if I can do it, though. It's kind of hard to sqeeze it in. Anyway, the scene you came up with is really cute! ^_^**

_**YOU there! Yes, you, reader! Thanks for continuously reading and supporting this story!**_

_**Anyway, let's get on with it!**_

Phone call

"I'm okay, mamma…"

…

"I'm sorry, mamma…"

…

"I-I didn't mean to slide off the window without your knowledge, it's just that-"

I sighed as my mother rambled on about how I could've fallen off. Also, she said that this was going to be the last time I'm allowed outside the house other than school-related activities.

After Nagihiko lent me the phone, I immediately dialed my mother, knowing that at least she wouldn't throw it if it rang just like my dad would. After lots of pleading, she finally allowed me to stay over at _'Nadeshiko's'_ house.

"…Rima…" My mother trailed off after a long awkward silence between us.

"Yes?" I wondered. My mother sighed from the other line.

"…Rima, I'll pick you up at five a.m. tomorrow" She said simply. I mentally screamed. Why so early? I'm a teenage girl with many problems! A nice sleep with good dreams is the least I could ask for! Why can't mamma give it to me? I was looking forward to a nice chat with Amu and the rest…

"Yes. I'll be ready…" I said instead. My mom hang-up after that and I couldn't help but let a sigh of desperation escape my lips. I bet mama and papa are fighting again about "how I got away" and "how I would've gotten kidnapped again"

I gently handed the phone to Nagihiko, who got it with much hesitation.

"She's worried sick…" I mumbled. At what I said, Nagihiko let out a smile.

"…At least your mom loves you…"

I angrily whipped my head at him then glared. "What do you know about problems? You hardly have one! If ever you do, I bet it's small. For exampe: how you don't know what to wear the next time you're Nadeshiko again, or how you're going to arrange the beds so you're as close to Amu and away from me as possible!"

"If you want to cry, cry!" He mused. I felt my eyes widen.

"What…?" I mumbled. Nagihiko sighed.

"I can read you, remember? You look like you're holding something back. I know it's tears"

"Shut up!" I gasped. When I felt something warm and wet trickle down my cheek, I froze.

…No way…

I sniffed then roughly wiped it off. "D-dust must've gotten into my eye…" I stubbornly muttered. Nagihiko sighed then held his hand out. I took it.

"…Liar. Stop bottling up all your emotions. It's what weaklings do…" He whispered.

…What he said kept me thinking for the rest of the night…

* * *

I woke up as my phone vibrated under me. I yawned then groggily grabbed it.

"5:25. _Perfect._ I'm just in time…I think…"

I hastily yet quietly got my bags then got packing, careful not to wake up Amu and Yaya, who too were sleeping on sleeping bags.

Silently opening the door, I walk passed the guest room of Tadase and Kukai, and "Nadeshiko". I tried to go through curves and turns in this mansion, trying to find the main door…

It wasn't long before I realized that I was lost.

5 minutes later, I found myself transformed into a ball in a dark corner between two statues. I've been rounded in awhile, just thinking about how stupid it was to get lost in a house…

Suddenly, a flash of light came from a room, followed by a continuous music. I got on my knees then curiously crawled towards it. I peeked through the paper door then gasped There, Nagihi-…I mean _Nadeshiko_ stood more graceful than she normally would. Japanese-patterned fans were being held on both sides of her palms, and her body was being embraced by a thick, salmon-colored kimono.

She danced in sync with the slow, Japanese music, waving her fans in a slow, Japanese-styled way and took small, gallant steps from time to time. When she turned her head, her hair, although it's long, didn't seem to be a bother. In fact, it seemed to go the way she wanted it to- blowing with the soft breeze of the room. She also managed to make her eyes look stunning; piercing, even. She moved his feet so smoothly; it's as if she was simply gliding across the air. The way Nagihiko danced…was perfect…

"Magnificent, isn't she?"

I stiffened at the voice from behind me. The voice was slightly old and trembling, yet caring and sweet. I turned, only to meet the gaze of Baaya.

I flinched, realizing that I've been caught spying.

"Y-you see, I was lost and…and…" The maid placed her finger over her lips.

"_Ssh_" She hushed. I nodded as she brought her gaze back at Nadeshiko's dancing figure.

"I'd understand it if you were to get lost in the Fujisaki mansion" She said. I smiled, glad that she understood me.

My phone vibrated in my pocket. I gasped then hastily brought it to my ear.

"Mama, I'm okay. I got lost in the house, you see…" I sighed. Mom was skeptical and scolded me about how I mustn't lie. She randomly told me why I needed to be picked up early and started claiming that it's for my own good so I don't get kidnapped again. In the midst of our conversation, she wailed at my dad and they argued. Tears wanted to spring off my eyes but I held it back.

It was pointless to cry now…

After I said my bye-bye, I sighed then turned to Baaya, who was giving me a curious look.

"What happened, young lady?" She wondered.

"…Nothing. My parents are arguing again. Honestly…why do I have so many problems? I can't handle all of it!"

She shook her head slowly.

"You shouldn't give up hope. You never know…some people may have bigger problems than you. Besides, I'm sure you can handle it. Lady Nadeshiko never gave up hope…"

I remained silent.

Of course Nadeshiko wouldn't give up hope…

He has no problems to begin with…

Guestroom

I called my mom again then pleaded. I pleaded that I could stay and go to school tomorrow with my friends. I told her it was safe, because we were a lot. After awhile, she gave in.

That would explain why I'm back at the guestroom, only I wasn't as quiet and sneaky as when I'd left, because I switched the lights open and thumped my way to the sleeping bag. Amu and Yaya woke up with loopy eyes.

"Rima…what's going on…?" Amu mumbled, oblivious to her pink hair sticking out in many messy directions. Yaya was just looking at the two of us with dull eyes. Her hair that was tied in a usual pig-tail was let loose, but it was actually messier than Amu's tangled pink mane.

I smiled at the two.

"Betsuni!"

The two looked at each other then put their gaze back at me. Yaya immediately sat straight up, the sleep in her eyes nearly faded.

"Well, since we're awake now, Yaya wants to play games! No-wait! Yaya wants to have girl talk!"

Amu and I choked.

"There's nothing to talk about!" I screeched. Yaya grinned then narrowed her eyes at me.

"…Well, there is one guy Amu-chi and Yaya suspect to be Rima-tan's future soul mate!" The brunette of the group squealed. I frowned, remembering the 'friendly kiss on the cheek' Nagihiko gave me. I had to fake cough so the pink threatening to cross my face would fade, which it did.

"This is pointless. What can we gain from talking about my 'soul mate'" I said simply, burying myself under the blanket. When I did hide, Amu and Yaya literally attacked me.

"Wait! You owe us some answers, Rima-chi!" Yaya squealed.

"Yeah, Rima! We want to know" Amu agreed.

After awhile, I finally gave up then sat, seeing that my hair was being affected by their attacks.

"Okay…" I started. Amu and Yaya leaned in. "there's nothing to talk about"

Yaya glomped me.

"Rima-chi, tell Yaya! Tell Yaya what happened between you and Kirishima-kun!"

I froze.

Kirishima?

"There's nothing between Kirishima and I" I said.

"…But in case you haven't noticed, you've been acting strange around him. Also, he's been looking at you a lot lately!" Amu gasped. I had to roll my eyes at this. Sure, I was acting weird around Kirishima. I think I may have a slight crush on him. Do you know the strange thing? Nagihiko doesn't like him, making me curious, because Nagihiko's nice to _almost_ anybody.

Being mean to Saaya, I understand, but Kirishima didn't even do anything to him!

"Well, Rima-tan?" Yaya giggled.

I crossed my arms.

"I am not ready for love. This girl-talk is not exciting me at all!"

Amu and Yaya's faces fell.

* * *

Love starts with a smile, grows with a kiss and ends with tears.

It is the greatest tragedy in any person's life...

…That's why I am not ready…

* * *

**Aww, Rima! You say all that but Kirishima comes in the next chapter! (Like I said, don't kill me!)**

**~Jealous Nagi~**

**~Jealous Nagi~**

**~Jealous Nagi~**

…**What kind of author spoils?**


	21. Kirishima!

**Chapter 21**

**Hey! I update a lot these days, don't I? I've been having lots of free time for some odd reason. **

***Sigh* So many thing's been happening. For exampe, our upcoming field trip and a limo coming to our school for some odd reason (Seriously). What happened to our school's "Simplicity" theme?**

**Anyway, enjoy life and I hope you enjoy this chappie! On with the story!**

* * *

_"Romance is just a cliché thing filled with angst and heartache…"_  
_By: Riri-chi's story "Love at Seventeen"_

_~~~~~~~~0~~~~~~~~0~~~~~~~~0~~~~~~~~0_

A red-head narrowed his magenta eyes at an old photo album.

He centered his gaze at a picture of a young girl; her curly, blonde locks landing softly unto her shoulder. She wore a white, summer dress and was standing bare-foot as she gazed at the beach with a huge, genuine smile planted across her face.

This picture was beautifully taken, capturing every angle of the girl's face, and so this red-headed treasured it for that.

"Kirishima-kun, I love you!" He recalled the girl telling him that in a cheery manner. She said that when he bought her the gag manga she had always wanted. Right after she said that, he recalled being kissed on the cheek by that sweet, passionate girl.

The boy instinctively brought his hand over to his left cheek where the girl planted that sweet kiss.

After awhile, he held the photo album close to his chest, promising himself never to lose it again.

**~~~~~~Rima's POV~~~~~~**

I woke up, brushed my teeth and did the normal morning routines with Amu and Yaya. Nadeshiko had lots of spare female uniforms that she lent us, and exactly two for males. Kukai and Tadase were lucky…

Anyway, Nadeshiko must've over-slept. I'd understand, after seeing what he was doing the entire night.

The moment I walked into his room, though, I paled.

"NAGIHIKO!"

My voice echoed through the Fujisaki household. Immediately, I grabbed the boy by the collar of the black and green school uniform then hissed, "Mind explaining why you're wearing that?"

Nagihiko took steps back, frightened by my outburst. Finally, he held his hands up in surrender.

"Calm down, Rima-chan! I was only trying this on!"

Just then, Kukai and Tadase scurried into the room with only their boxers on.

"What's going on?" They asked in unison. At the sight, I couldn't help but feel the heat flood my cheeks. I got a random pillow off Nagihiko's couch then hurled it at them. "Put some clothes on!" I spat.

Thuds of more footsteps came, and Yaya and Amu came rushing into the room. Amu had her usual cool and spicy look, though her hair-clip was still the same as the one yesterday- the black heart shaped one Tadase gave her not too long ago.

"Is something the matter, Ri-..."

She never got to finish because she caught the sight of Tadase and Kukai on the ground. Her face flooded with red and I couldn't help but worry that her head might explode because of all the blood rushing to her face.

"Tadase, Kukai, why are you wearing only big shorts?" Yaya asked innocently, kneeling down so she could take a look at their faces. Kukai raised a hand.

"Y-you see, we were dressing up when I noticed that my uniform was missing. Tadase and I looked for it when suddenly, we heard the second queen scream" He said.

Tadase rubbed the back of his head. "S-sorry. Souma-kun and I forgot to wear something for cover"

Amu's eyes sparkled. "N-no…it's okay!"

Pervert…

"So anyway, what happened, Ri…ma…" Amu trailed off when she looked at me. At first, I was worried why everyone gave me weird looks, until I realized that it wasn't me they were looking at.

Oh shoot…

"Hello, Amu-chan!" Nagihiko calmly smiled, not bothering to disguise his voice.

"N-Naddy…?" Yaya mumbled. Amu shook her head then looked at Nagihiko from head to toe. Finally, she gasped.

"…Are you…maybe…_Nagihiko_?" She wondered. I stiffened then reluctantly turned to Nagihiko, who was standing, right hand on the waist. He narrowed his eyes then smirked. "Yes…"

Awkward silence…

3…

2…

1…

"NANI?" Yaya and Amu had literally screamed. Tadase, Kukai and I had to cover our ears just to keep ourselves from being deaf. Amu was first to run to him. She stopped then examined him, making him shift uncomfortably.

"Wow. You really do look like Nadeshiko!" She squealed. Yaya bounced her way to him, glomped him then twirled his hair in amazement.

Sigh…teenagers these days…

"~Nee, Nagi, why are you wearing Seiyo's uniform?" Yaya asked. At first, I thought that he'd flinch; not knowing what to say, but instead, he calmly rubbed the back of his head then tilted it. "Well, I just got here and I wanted to at least try on the boy's uniform in my sister's school"

Amu started to look around.

"…Speaking of Nadeshiko, we're getting late for school. I wonder where she is"

I snickered and Nagihiko stiffened.

"Now that you've mentioned it…" I trailed off with a glint in my eyes. Nagihiko hastily ran off the bedroom.

"I-I'll go call her!" He yelled, shutting the door behind him.

"Did you guys see that?" Kukai wondered. We all looked at him and gave him skeptical looks. "See what, Kukai?" Yaya asked. Kukai put a finger on his chin.

"…I think I saw a blue chara following Nagi. Do you think that maybe he has one…?"

I thought about this. He _did_ say he had a chara. I just never got to see it. In fact, we hardly see each other's charas because of this so-called Kiseki.

The door bust open, and Nadeshiko came in. Tadase and I were surprised, seeing how fast Nagihiko changed. Currently Nadeshiko, she fiddled with the hem of the green, middle-school uniform then walked towards us.

"Sorry to keep you guys waiting! Let's go!" She winked.

* * *

I've got to admit, walking to school with friends is actually fun.

True, it is different and more chaotic than the time when it was only Amu and I that were walking to school, but this also gave me happiness. It was…a different form of happiness.

I thought back. Maybe…it really is okay to trust people. Just _maybe_, though. I still find it too risky.

However, when you think about it logically, if I put all my trust on Amu alone, wouldn't it hurt more if I lost her, rather than to know that I have other friends to depend on?

No. That will never happen. Amu will always be there for me, no matter what.

I smiled at the thought then playfully clung unto Amu's arm.

"~Nee, Amu! I have strawberry pocky! Let's eat it together during recess today!"

"Let us join you!"

I let my eyes widen. I smiled then turned to the additional four in my group of friends.

Yaya…

Kukai…

Tadase…

…and even purple-head…

I nodded in satisfaction. "Okay!"

Looks like I have to break the promise, after all. The promise Amu and I made a few years ago when we first met- the one where we said that only the two of us knew about each other's true selves. From the looks of it, I may be getting used to the company of other people too.

However…I have this feeling that's not the only promise I'm breaking.

I turned to Nagihiko then let a little smile form my face.

I'm slowly breaking the promise I made during my first few encounters with this surprisingly charming boy.

I averted my gaze at the ground then grinned. This is such a nice feeling. Normally, on my way to school, I'm in my parent's car, hearing them quarrel non-stop. That is truly torture, and during those times I had to work on holding back the tears. Now, I'm care-free and walking with the few people I have learned to trust!

I guess I wasn't looking at the road, though, because next thing I knew, I collided with someone, and all the books I held scattered to the ground.

"I'm sorry! I-I wasn't looking! I didn't mean to…" Said the voice I had bumped into. I flicked my tongue then shook my head.

"Excuses, excuses…"

Nagihiko chuckled at my coldness towards this person. Curious, I looked up, only to meet the gaze of Fuyuki Kirishima!

I lightly blushed then picked the books up. Kirishima was going to help me but Nagihiko had kicked him in his thing before he could even kneel down! So instead, it was Nagihiko and Amu that had helped me with the books.

"Why'd you hit him there, Nadeshiko?" Amu wondered. Nagihiko shrugged as he shoved the books into my bag.

"It was an accident"

Yaya bounced her way towards us then looked at Kirishima.

"…Yaya didn't know that an _accidental_ kick could actually look like a perfect karate kick!" Said guardian mumbled. Kukai shrugged then picked up some books too. Shyly, I glanced at Kirishima. "Sorry…" I mumbled.

From beside me, I could feel the evil and knowing smirks of Amu and Yaya.

"Oh! I just forgot! Nadeshiko promised me a treat! Let's go, Nadeshiko!" Amu chirped, grabbing the struggling Nagihiko by the arm and strutting off.

"W-wait, Amu-chan! Since when did I…"

"Ah! Kukai! Tadase-kun! Yaya wants ice cream! Go with her!" Yaya grabbed both boys by the hand.

"Yaya!" Kukai whined. Tadase, however, was looking rather worried.

"…But class starts in five minutes…"

I sighed. _There_ goes the happy walk I was dramatizing about not too long ago. I turned to Kirishima with a calm expression then extended my hand to help him stand.

When he looked at me, he froze. Curious, I leaned in. "Kirishima-kun?" I mumbled. He leaned back then blushed.

"M-Mashiro-san…a-are you maybe…" He trailed off. I gave him a puzzled look then crossed my arms.

"Class starts in five minutes. Hurry"

"But your friends-"

"They're just setting us up!" I grabbed him by the hand then pulled him up. He gasped, much to my wonder. However, I had no time to ask him that.

As if on cue, the first bell rang.

"Let's go!" I huffed.

"I'm right behind you!" He yelled. Immediately, I heard his foot steps nearing me. After awhile, he was jogging next to me. "Hurry" I said.

He smiled. "I'll wait for you, Mashiro-san!"

I then remembered how slow I was. Kirishima-kun was going to be late for class all because of me!

"You're a basketball player. You can't afford to be late" I pointed out. I've only ran for a few feet and I was starting to get tired. When I slowed down, so did he. He smiled at me.

"…I'll wait for you"

* * *

…So because of me, Kirishima was late for class.

When I bust into the classroom, everyone silenced. This is a normal reaction. When me, or any of my friends enter our own classrooms, everyone is silenced. I looked around the room before sitting down. I let my gaze fall unto the violet-haired boy sitting on his seat and staring dully into the window.

When I sat, the teacher went on with the lesson, not even bothering to scold me because she knew how hard I was.

"…So how was your walk to class with Kirishima?" Nagihiko asked. He didn't even bother to look at me. His eyes never darted from the window. No one else seemed to hear him. For some odd reason, I did.

I shrugged then grabbed my note pad and pencil.

"He's sweet…"

I was looking forward to more conversation with him, but Nagihiko remained silent.

I thought I'd like his silence. I always say I hate it when he teases…but now that he's quiet, I couldn't help but feel so rejected.

* * *

"My, my! What a pleasant surprise!" Tsukasa grinned as he leaned back to his soft chair and then placed both feet on the desk. He narrowed his eyes the young green-haired boy wearing Seiyo High's middle school uniform.

The boy frowned then pushed his glasses up to the bridge of his nose.

"No matter how much you dislike my sister, I'll have you know that I have the qualifications to attend this school, principal. If you decline me for such a silly, childish reason, I could easily hire a lawyer and sue you." The boy said. The slim principal chuckled.

"I had no intention to reject you! In fact I'm quite excited! I want to see how this little story plays out!"


	22. Splattered chocolate cake

**Chapter 22**

It's recess. Just as promised, I divided my pocky and gave it to my friends. Of course…I didn't equally divide it for I still got the most…

It's our first time to eat in the Royal Garden, and to be honest, it sort of scared us. Since it's so beautiful and all, we get paranoid whenever a piece of crumb fell, of when bits of cocoa or tea spilled on the table. Nadeshiko is out because she's making more cake for Yaya in the culinary room and so I sat there, secretly bored out of my mind.

"Rima, if you like Kirishima-kun, don't be afraid to tell him that. He obviously has a thing for you" Amu sighed. I rolled my eyes then crossed my petite arms.

"…And I'm obviously not ready" I huffed.

"But one day, you'll have to grow up, Queen. You'll have to tell the guy that you like how you feel about him" Kukai mused. My eyes twitched as a vivid image of Nagihiko crossed my mind. I shook my head, causing the curls to bounce.

"That's years from now"

"But surely there's someone you like, Rima!" Amu cried. I sighed then stared at Amu for awhile.

"Okay, then. I'll go 'guy hunting' once you tell me who you prefer. Tadase, or the guy with blue hair" I snickered. Amu and Tadase flushed.

"H-his name is Ikuto…" She mumbled.

Yaya and Kukai screamed.

"WHAT?"

I sipped on my hot chocolate as Amu and Tadase endlessly asked me how I found out. I ignored them. Trust me; it's not hard to do with Yaya continuously glomping them.

The chaos ended when the door to the garden opened. Yaya bounced, thinking it was Nadeshiko with the cake, only to tilt her head in confusion when Tsukasa came in. Behind him was a boy.

He had jade hair falling firmly to the corners of his cheeks, giving his face a pointed look. He had his eyes shut calmly as he held his glasses in place. His lips curled downwards gave him a serious demeanor. I wouldn't admit it, but he slightly scared me because of the seriousness etched all over his face. He…looked a year older than Kukai.

"Hey, everyone! This boy here is Sanjou Kairi! He's a year younger than Yaya!" Tsukasa grinned.

I mentally face-palmed. So much for being '_a year older than Kukai_…'

Yaya was the first to literally react (No surprise there…)

"What? You're younger than Yaya? It doesn't look like it!" She cried. The boy coughed then looked back at us.

Amu, Tadase and I looked at Tsukasa for an explanation. It's a good thing he got our message.

"You see, Kairi-kun…" _"Don't call me Kairi-kun"_ "…also has a guardian character and is requested to be our second Jack!" He smiled.

Kairi frowned at Tsukasa's successful attempt to ignore him. We all slowly turned to the boy in awe.

_New Jack_?

That role would surely fit Nagihiko…

After lots of questions, the guardians settled down.

"Okay" Amu smiled, pointing at herself. "We might as well introduce ourselves" Kairi cut her off.

"No need for that. You're Hinamori Amu, Joker's chair. Your Guardian Characters are Ran, Miki and Su and you're secretly cowardly"

How dare he know so much about my best-friend…

He turned to Yaya, who only smiled.

"Yuiki Yaya, Ace's chair. Guardian character is Pepe. According to my records, you are always attempting to give yourself diabetes by taking in too much candy…"

"Ye-…wait. What?" Yaya exclaimed.

He looked at Kukai, who was sitting laid-back in his chair while chewing on his last share of pocky.

"Souma Kukai! Jack's chair. Your guardian character is Daichi and you tend to slack-off"

That's Kukai…

"Hotori Tadase…" He turned to the brighter blonde, "…you are the King's chair. Your guardian character is Kiseki and according to this data, you turn into a complete maniac when you character change"

Tadase sweat-dropped.

Amu and I stifled laughter while Yaya and Kukai looked completely clueless.

Finally, he pointed at me then adjusted his glasses, making it twinkle in the sun's rays.

"…Mashiro Rima. You're the second Queen's chair. Kusukusu's your guardian character. When you were in fifth grade back there in Sakura Elementary, you were almost kidnapped. Also, according to the records, many of your neighbors already made a complaint about your parent's continuous quarrels"

I stiffened as everyone turned to me with shocked faces.

An awkward silence surrounded the garden as I fiddled uncomfortably with the hem of my skirt.

True, I am sad about the whole thing but there's no need for the rest of my friends to be concerned about it too. I don't need to add in anymore problems to their list. It's unfair…

"S-so…anyway…" Amu attempted to break the silence, only to come up with nothing to say. Finally, she mumbled, "Nice day, isn't it…"

"If it's not too much, may I see your guardian characters?" He asked as a small samurai chara floated to his side. Yaya's eyes sparkled as she tightly held the chara and hugged it.

Kairi didn't seem to care. He wanted to see our guardian characters.

"…They're with my chara. He says they have a big project to fulfill…" Tadase chuckled. Kairi looked thoughtful.

"Interesting…" He said. He snapped his head then looked at us.

"What is this project you speak of?"

"To dig a hole leading all the way to the Philippines to fulfill world domination" We all said in unison. I watched intently for the Kairi's reaction. His face remained stern, though…

How disappointing.

* * *

"WAH! Yaya thinks that iinchou is scary! He doesn't laugh! Even Yaya can't make him smile!"

"Your attempt to make him laugh is pathetic. Comedy is an art you must learn step by step" I pointed out. Amu chuckled while the rest looked at me with curious expressions. As you know, Amu is my best friend and she knows so many things about me…

Amu stopped chuckling and the attention of everyone wavered from me. They all fixed their eyes on something ahead. Curious, I looked at the direction of their eyes, only to question myself when I saw Kirishima standing on our way, gulping nervously and holding an old photo album on his left hand.

"M-Mashiro-san…" He trailed off. Everyone immediately left me. For some reason, I felt like Moses and my friends were the waters separating to make way. Only this time, they didn't leave to make way. They left _completely_ to leave me and Kirishima alone.

He blushed at my friend's actions then hesitantly walked towards me.

"Mashiro-san…I think she is you…?" He gasped. A simple "Huh?" was all I could utter.

The red-headed boy gulped then clenched his fists tighter. Immediately, he opened the album to a specific page. In it was a beautiful girl with a curly, medium-length hair that-wait.

Isn't that girl…?

"Me?" I worded the last word from my mind. Kirishima's eyes twinkled and he nodded. "So it is you, Mashiro-san. I lost this album for awhile so I forgot how the girl I first fell in-love with looked like. As if it was fate, though, I found it lying in the ruins of my old house. I saw the page where this picture of the girl lay. I looked at it all the time until…I saw her resemblance in you. You're this girl in this picture…right?"

"Stop it. It is me. Happy you know?"

"Not yet…" He sighed.

He gazed down then caught his breath.

"Mashiro-san…I'd like to know. Do you still remember the time I confessed to you back then?" He asked. I furrowed my brows, trying to recall. None came. The memories of my happy days were blurred. It's like a happy dream that was long forgotten.

"Not really…" I admitted. "So many things have been going on in my life. I don't think I can remember such minor details. I don't even remember what I wore yesterday…"

But for some odd reason, I still remember what I wore when Nagihiko and I gazed at the stars. Maybe I was really observant that time?

"Mashiro-san…"

I gasped when Kirishima gently held my hand.

"I always loved you…"

I flushed as his face neared mine. I didn't know whether to give in or not. Was I ready to lose my first kiss? I do like Kirishima, right? H-he's boyfriend material!

My heart raced and beads of sweat trickled down my forehead. Is this how it feels like when you know you're about to kiss a guy? Wait- shouldn't I give Kirishima a chance, at least? He doesn't look like he'd cheat on me!

"K-Kirishima-kun…" I muttered when his lip was only a few centimeters away. He slowly backed away then looked me in the eyes.

"Yes, Mashiro-san?"

I breathed in. I always did say I wasn't ready for love, ri-

_SPLAT_

I stood in utter shock as I stared at Kirishima's chocolate cake-covered face.

…Chocolate cake? Isn't that exactly what Yaya wanted?

"She's not ready for love" Grumbled a voice I knew all-too-well. I stiffened and turned into a very slight tint of pink.

That voice belonged to Nagihiko.

I turned around and nearly fainted. He wasn't even wearing his Nadeshiko attire!

The red-head rubbed a bit of cake off his face and stared at Nagihiko, mortified.

"F-Fujisaki Nadeshiko…?"

"No. It's Fujisaki Nagihiko…" Purple-head said, bouncing the empty plate that once contained the cake in his palm while furrowing his eyes.

* * *

**Dun dun duuun! (worthless attempt to tense the readers)**

**Thanks for reading up to this part of the story no matter how long it's been going on! I've got plans to where this story will go, but I don't know how to build it up so it would get there. I do things simultaneously. Making schedules and all somehow makes me feel so trapped. For now, there are…a lot of plot holes, especially with Nagi's so-called perfection. **

**Anyway, I made a Rimahiko one-shot entitled 'Comma'. Come check it out if you feel like it.**

**So thanks again!**


	23. Basketball!

**Chapter 23**

**~~~~Rima's POV~~~~**

Kirishima just gawked at Nagihiko. He didn't move. He just…gawked.

"…What…?" He finally muttered. Nagihiko narrowed his brows then grabbed my wrist.

"Amu-chan is very protective friend. You have no idea how much she treasures Rima-chan so you've got to ask permission from her first. She's like…her mom…" He coughed. Kirishima lowered his head then thought about this for a moment while I stood there trying to analyze what's going on.

From what I know, Amu _wants_ me to go out with a guy. She _doesn't_ want me to put all my trust on her. She wants me to be happy and 'See the art of romance'

With this knowledge in mind, I turned to Nagihiko with a puzzled face.

Why was he saying all of that when we all know that Amu's the type that would like her friends to be happy?

"Okay. I understand. I'll go ask the Amu Hinamori for permission now, then"

"Wait!" I automatically screeched. Both boys turned to me.

"S-since when did I say I'd like to go out with you, Kirishima-kun…?" I mumbled. Kirishima's face fell.

"N-no! That's not what I mean! What I mean is that…I think you're progressing things way too fast. I-I'm not even ready for love. Actually…" I sighed. "…I'll never be ready for love. It's just something wherein you find yourself enduring everything in the end…"

Like mama and papa…

Only the Bird's chirps, the wind's howls and the bee's buzzes was heard as silence prolonged. Finally, Kirishima broke it with a cough.

"I understand. I'll work hard to be your guy then, Mashiro-san" He smiled, walking off.

When he was out-of-sight, I heard the _very _disturbing little noise that sounded like _'POING'_

_Poing_ was never a good sound…

Surprised, though, it wasn't me that character changed. I wonder wh-WHOA!

"N-Nagihiko! Put me down!" I screeched as purple-head brought me up bridal style.

"No can do, Ri~ma!" He pronounced every syllable, causing me to clench my teeth.

"What has gotten into you? Put me down this instant, tea-bag!"

"Tea bag. That's really unique, _Rima_"

"S-say a honorific after you say my name! Like…like sama!"

Nagihiko smirked then hopped off, still not putting me down. Seriously! What has gotten into him?

Then I noticed a pair of headphones attached to his neck. Strange…it wasn't there just a little while ago…

I'm still not going down…

"Where are you taking me?" I hissed. Nagihiko chuckled then smirked at me.

"Consider me your usherette to class. I hope you don't mind, madam, if I use the window for entrance?"

_Oh no he woldn't…_

_CRASH!_

"Kyaaa!"

"Nagihiko-koi has finally come for me?"

"Oh my!"

"Is that Mashiro Rima?"

"T-that's her boyfriend?"

I sweat-dropped.

Of course he would. He just _had_ to make a scene, didn't he!

I heard the familiar (And disturbing) _poing_ sound and Nagihiko's headphones magically disappeared.

Wouldn't that mean that that was character change?

…So _that's _Nagihiko's would-be-self…?

Nagihiko blinked for awhile before groaning. With a sigh, he turned to me with pleading eyes.

"P-please forgive me for whatever Rhythm made me do, Rima-chan…" He said. I automatically lifted my arms then pointed at the broken window.

"Apologize to the molecules in that window"

He opened his mouth to say something but in a split second, he was glomped by my many female classmates and was repeatedly bombarded with questions such as him and Nadeshiko's similarity in terms of looks. Everytime he tried to answer a question, another one came up before he could finish. The scene was disturbed with a slam by the door. Nikaidou stood by the door with a pile of papers in hand. When he saw the kids crowding in one area, he grinned.

"My, my! Is there a new toy that's on the trend? What's got you girls so excited?"

"…My fiancé!" Saaya screamed, causing all of us in the room to sweat-drop.

"Nadeshiko's twin brother, Nagihiko-sama!" A girl called out. They all made space so Nikaidou could see him. I expected the teacher to grin and do something wacky, but to my utter surprise, he narrowed his eyes then frowned, giving him an unusual and wise look.

"Please tell him to go out. He's not even a student here in Seiyo…" He trailed off. Everyone gazed at Nikaidou in silence and shock. He didn't even trip on anything as he made his way to the teacher's desk!

"Okay, sir. I'm sorry for intruding. I just wanted to bring my friend Rima-chan to school today since she had a slight cramp this morning…" Nagihiko lied then bowed before walking off. Clamps of his footsteps were heard until he left the room. When he did, the girls pouted. There was an awkward silence before Nikaidou beamed his usual silly grin again.

"Okay, class! Now would you please tell me who broke the window?"

_Oh boy…_

* * *

A few minutes later, Nagihiko came back to the classroom in his 'Nadeshiko' uniform. Everyone was shocked, seeing that _the_ Fujisaki Nadeshiko was late for class. Of course, after the shock, the girls appeared to be more interested and eyed him throughout, causing him wince the entire time in class.

I even heard some girls whisper things such as, "~Nee, Nadeshiko-sama, can you please let your hair down like your brother?" or "Nadeshiko-sama, I'm wondering if you'd like to hang out with me and my friends this weekend. You can bring your relatives like…let's say…your _b_rother?"

Oh yes. For the first time even, Nagihiko _did not_ pay attention in math class because he was so miserable.

Poor boy.

After class, Nagihiko and I quickly got off our chairs to avoid my fanboys and the curious fangirls.

"Tell me, Nagihiko…" I started. Nagihiko and I were walking to the Royal Garden. Lately, the 'Guardians' is becoming more and more popular. "What did Kirishima ever do to you?"

He shrugged then looked away.

"Why'd you splatter his face with cake" I asked.

"It slipped" He lied.

"Liar…" I accused. "You're never mean to the people that did nothing to you!"

"Well then, I'm jealous because he's the head of the basketball team"

A part of me snapped when he said that, and I found myself trying to control my fits of laughter. Seeing that there's no one watching, Nagihiko dropped the Nadeshiko act, despite being in a skirt then brought his arms behind his head in a boyish manner.

"Yeah, you heard me. Basketball seems like a fun sport"

"But you suck" I pointed out. Nagihiko turned to me then smiled. No, it wasn't a sweet, genuine smile. It was sarcastic yet murderous.

"Having to hold back in sports is really torturing me, Rima-chan, so I'd appreciate it if you don't rant about how much Nadeshiko sucks"

A glint found its way to my eye.

"Heh. You really are EXTREMELY jealous because Kirishima-kun can play so much better than you"

"That's it." Nagihiko groaned. The intimidating smile on his face was immediately replaced with a game face. Nagihiko made a sharp turn to the right where the changing rooms were.

I found myself following him.

"Where are you going?"

"I want to play"

"No!" I grabbed his arm. "You're Nadeshiko right now, idiot! You'll blow your cover"

"Who said that girls would always have to suck at basketball?"

"Must I remind you that Nadeshiko Fujisaki is the most _elegant_, _graceful _and_ girly_ girl in school? Nadeshiko Fujisaki _sucks_ at sports!"

"That doesn't mean that _Nagihiko_ Fujisaki has to!" He said in his high, sugary soprano. Just outside the changing room, Nagihiko winked at me then brought out some clothes from the bag he carried.

"Don't worry, Rima-chan. I just want to get this out of my system. The last time I played to my heart's content was when I was seven…" When he said the last part, I couldn't help but notice the sudden drop in his voice. He sighed as sadness filled his eyes then quickly entered the changing room.

When he was out, he was wearing tight, cream colored pants and a white polo ending on his elbow.

When I once again saw him in his true identity, I couldn't help but feel my heart beat faster.

"Go to the basketball court before anyone sees us and thinks that we're together" I said, trying to look calm no matter how handsome he looked at the moment.

"Don't you want to come?" He asked. I narrowed my eyes then grumbled, "I still have a Guardian meeting to attend. I really want to show Yaya and Kukai what Tadase's character change is like. You go play. I'll try to make those two laugh"

He smiled, thanked me then dashed off.

I wouldn't admit it, but I never felt more alone. I slowly sat on the grass then curled myself into a ball.

Seriously…what's wrong with me? I'd be happy to rid of Fujisaki but whenever he's out of the way, I always find myself feeling like this.

"Idiot…tea-bag…purple-head…freak…cross-dresser…Nagi…" I gasped when I mumbled his name like that then buried my face deeper in my hugged knees.

"He's such an ill-behaved child…" I sighed.

"Rima!" I nearly jumped when I heard Amu's voice call. I looked back, only to see her running towards me. When she noticed me in this ball position (Like I said, Amu knows me enough to know that I'm sad when I'm curled like this), she quickened her pace. She got to me first, followed by Yaya, Kukai, Tadase and Kairi.

"You okay?" She asked. I nodded but Amu didn't buy it.

"You sure?"

"Yes. I just don't feel like attending the Guardian meeting today. I'm too lazy…" I finished lamely. Amu sighed then looked me in the eye.

"Okay then, where do you want to go?" She asked. I shrugged my shoulders the hugged my legs closer to my chest.

"I don't mind watching the basket-ball game right now" I said in monotone. Amu and Yaya smirked.

"Sure! Where Kirishima-kun is!" Yaya squealed. I rolled my eyes and Amu chuckled. She held her hand out for me. "Let's go, Rima!" She laughed. I turned to Tadase.

"We're missing the meeting today. Is that fine with you, king?"

Tadase smiled.

"Sure. However, Sanjou-kun and Souma-kun need to help me with the work"

Kukai groaned as Tadase made his way back. I swear I think I heard Tadase mutter something that sounded like, "Calm down. The girls want to be alone. We don't want to get involved with their match-making thing"

The two boys shivered at the thought of being involved with romance.

* * *

A few meters from the court and I could already hear gasps, squeals and screams. Amu, Yaya and I hurried so we could catch the game.

I may not be interested in basketball. It's a lackluster game with simple, boring rules and hot, dreary sweat. However, when I saw the score from far away, only to realize that Kirishima's team was losing by ten points, I found myself curious and motivated. Amu and Yaya seemed to notice too, and for people like me who also hate the game, we're more interested than ever to see it.

When we got to the grassy hill where, to my surprise, so many audiences were, Amu had to give me a piggy-back-ride so I could make it to the front. Yaya was following close behind.

For the people to not make way for the cool n' spicy Hinamori Amu, they must be so intent on watching the game.

When we finally found our way to the front (All sweaty and disgusting, if I may add) the three of us gasped when we saw Nagihiko easily beating Kirishima (who, by the way, had three more people on his team).

It's a one-on-four competition, and Nagihiko was winning.

Excited as I was, I didn't want to show it, so I got down from Amu's back then sat on the grass, trying to look as bored as I can. However, when I saw Nagihiko bouncing the ball away from the four whilst running, causing his soft, violet hair to flow with the wind, my heart beat faster and my face heated up so I dug my face beneath my knees to cover it up. At least I'd look like I'm sleeping, right?

Suddenly, the crowd applauded and the whistle honked. I looked at the score and Nagihiko won. I was rejoicing, until I found the girls headed towards him.

"Run, Fujisaki!" I screamed. When he heard my voice, he froze then turned to my direction.

"R-run!" I screamed again. He did. Just in time for him to get away from the more than five hundred girls running after him.

Relieved that he got away, I sat back on the grass then sighed.

"That was a nice game, Rima. How come you weren't looking at Kirishima, though?" Amu asked. I gasped then looked at my friend. "I was distracted"

"With what, Rima-tan?" Yaya asked, bouncing her way to me. I thought about this.

"I…just didn't feel like watching the game. I don't like basketball"

"Well then, Mashiro-san, what brings you here then?" I silently gasped at the voice. I hurriedly turned, only to meet the gaze of Kirishima. He was trying to make eye contact but out of habit, I turned away with a light blush.

"Hello, Kirishima-kun. Rima just didn't feel like joining the meeting, you see, so we made our way here" Amu chuckled. Kirishima smiled then lay on the space beside me. "I'm glad you chose to watch this basketball game as a getaway" He laughed. I smiled slightly then shifted uncomfortably in my place.

Once again, Amu and Yaya did the last thing I'd want them to do at this very moment. They left me alone once again.

I was silently mumbling death threats at the two until Kirishima grabbed my arm.

"Mashiro-san, if you're tired, then feel free to lie down next to me"

I blushed.

"I'm not tired"

"Okay, then" Kirishima sat up then looked at me.

"Tell me. Are you still interested in gag mangas?"

I felt my pupils dilate and my face flood with red. "What of it" I spat. Kirishima looked taken aback by my sudden action so I bent my head, ashamed.

"Well, I'm just wondering, Mashiro-san. You see…you're not smiling like you used to. You show other people this icy girl and you hardly warm up to people. The only people you seem to trust are the guardians, excluding Fujisaki-san"

I clenched my fists. "What do you mean by Fujisaki-san?" I asked. Kirishima turned away then sighed.

"It's like you treat her differently from your other friends. Don't tell. I, myself, don't like the Fujisaki twins. Nadeshiko-sama is really bossy and always takes advantage of what she has. Nagihiko-kun is just plain rude and perverted. He's a natural playboy. I wouldn't be surprised if he's broken many hearts. Just because he has fangirls and all that…It's like…they're hiding something…" He trailed off.

When he said that, anger boiled at the pit of my stomach. I couldn't help but have this feeling of protectiveness swallowing me.

I don't know what came over me, but next thing I know, I was standing and looking down at the boy whilst crossing my arms.

"I am not allowing you to back-stab Fujisaki like that, Kirishima-kun. If that's what you think of him, then you are extremely wrong. He's an amazing guy with epic abilities" I turned my back on him then walked away.

At the back of my mind, I felt sorry for Kirishima. The thing is my reaction was impulsive. I just found myself mad when he said all of that about Nagihiko.

I sighed then continued to drag myself to the garden, wherein the meeting is probably already over.

**~~~~~~~~First Person~~~~~~~~**

Laughter…

So much pointless laughter was ringing her ears as she walked the hallway of Seiyo High.

She wore a gray hat to cover her blonde, spiky hair and violet shades to hide her striking eyes. Students walked passed her calmly despite her remarkable outfit- a long, designer black tank-top, scarlet scarf, Dark leggings and violet stilettos, if you'd like to know.

She stopped when she was just in front of a classroom, where Kairi stood, obviously waiting for her.

"You're 30 seconds late" He pointed out. Behind the shades, the blonde rolled her eyes.

"Whatever. You're old sister wants me to check if you're doing any progress"

"For now there are no secrets I gained. Hopefully, the guardians would tell me their secrets soon. Anyway, enough of that; Tell me why you're here, Hoshina-san"

"For now, it's not Hoshina-san. Call me Tsukiyomi-san for Tsukiyomi Utau, which will be my pen-name here in Seiyo. Yukari-baka wants me to transfer here so in some way, I could break the guardians apart. Also, Tsukasa's got a lot of explaining to do to even have the guts to create a group called 'Guardians'" She scoffed, "how childish!"

Utau sighed then brought her gaze to Kairi.

"Anyway, who are the guardians?"

"Hinamori Amu as Joker, Hotori Tadase as King's chair, Mashiro Rima and Fujisaki Nadeshiko for Queen, Souma Kukai is the Jack and Yuiki Yaya is the Ace's chair…" Then he gulped. "The Ace just finished two bowls of candy. It shocks me how she's not sick just yet!"

Utau completely lost interest so she strut away. Kairi kept his lips in a straight line then walked the opposite direction from the teenage pop star in disguise.

* * *

**Thanks for all the feedbacks! I hope this chapter was fine. **


	24. Extra: Other side of the story

**Chapter 24; extra**

**Just like chapter 5 of this story, this is an extra. Originally, when I started this story, I was supposed to make Amu's love triangle evident but I was having a hard time putting that in so I just made this chapter to show it off some more but…I think Amuto is more evident in his chapter. Tadamu will start to show up in latter chapters. **

**Anyway:**

**Aquatwin: Seriously! I know you (As in…in fanfiction) so well. Thanks for reviewing continuously! To answer your question, yes. I have an account but I completely forgot the password (My bad…) I make my original stories into comic/ manga so if a story suddenly pops up in my mind, I go to the bookstore to get a sketchpad; not the laptop.**

**Pequinessa: In the future, I might make a chapter entirely in Nagi's POV. **

**Thanks for continuously reading and reviewing this story!**

**Now…since this author's note is long, I'll try to make a long chapter to make up for it…**

**~~~~First Person~~~~**

Soft, midnight blue hair danced across the wind as this boy lay on top of a grassy hill behind a large, school building. He found it funny- how he's doing this inside a high school premise and no one seemed to mind him (Except for maybe around fifty or more girls that claim that he's _hot_?) They would even constantly compare him to this name. Nagomihiko, was it? Ikuto thought about this for awhile.

"I wonder what this Nagomihiko looks like…"

Ikuto closed his eyes, wanting unconsciousness to envelope him. Unfortunately, just when he was about to be fully enveloped, a loud honk woke him with a gasp. He looked at his right where the honking sound came from.

'It looks like a basketball game is about to begin. Sheesh! This could only mean noise' He thought as he stood up the jumped towards a tree that was quite a distance from where the game was.

He looked around, only to have this blonde ball catch his eye. "Is that a ball…?" He mumbled.

"Nyaa, Ikuto. What are you looking at?" Yoru, Ikuto's chara, came back with a large tuna in hand. He followed his bearer's gaze, only to have his eyes widen in shock.

"That's one, big, yellow hairball, nyaa!" Yoru gasped. Ikuto sighed, "Yoru, that's no hairball. Can you fly closer to it? Those zigzag yellow strips look familiar"

Pleased that he could be of use, Yoru flew over to the blonde. He came back with a grin.

"It's one of Amu's friends, nyaa!"

As if on cue, Amu's voice echoed through the field.

"Rima!"

Ikuto's pupils dilated at the sight of the pinkette. Without noticing it himself, he was starting to lean in. Yoru seemed to lose interest so he flew away to play with more of the alley cats.

When she saw the blonde, Amu's pace seemed to quicken. Behind her was this pig-tailed brunette, a tall, tan boy, a kid with a serious demeanor and kiddy-king as Ikuto would like to call Tadase. The girls were talking for awhile, but Ikuto lost interest since Amu and this brunette started to squeal.

'Girls…' he sighed.

The boys left and the girls went ahead to the basketball game. Ikuto followed Amu and two others, jumping from tree-to-tree, only to have his eyes widen slightly when he saw the hill that was completely empty not too long ago now entirely covered with students.

'I would've been crushed if I hadn't left…' he thought.

He got over the shock then brought his gaze back at Amu. She was giving the blonde a piggyback ride as they made their way through the crowd. The young brunette was skipping happily behind.

They finally made their way to the front. Rima got down then hugged her knees as she watched the game with mild interest. Ikuto stopped looking at her then immediately brought his gaze to Amu. She was smiling and laughing at the brunette's wacky jokes and would constantly glance at Rima.

Ikuto couldn't help but notice how Amu's cherry hair would softly fall unto her shoulder and bounce again as her shoulders shook with laughter. Every time she smiled, time would slow down for him. Her golden orbs squinting a bit in happiness and filling with laughter caused the corners of Ikuto's lips to crook up. He must've been too absorbed in it that when the whistle honked, he nearly fell off the tree he was sitting on.

"Run, Fujisaki!" A voice called out. Ikuto turned to look at the blonde, wondering why she wanted who to run, until he realized that a bunch of girls were starting to charge at one of the players.

"R-run!" She screamed again. The boy ran with a bunch of girls following him. Ikuto lightly chuckled at the sight.

Amu and the brunette started to walk to Rima then they started to talk amongst themselves. Not too long after, one of the players sat beside the blonde. When he spoke, she was startled. Amu then immediately walked away, along with the brunette and so Ikuto followed them. Stalkerish as it may sound, Ikuto had nothing better to do to complete his day.

**~~~~Amu's POV~~~~**

"I…just didn't feel like watching the game. I don't like basketball" Rima reasoned. I opened my mouth to say something but stopped when I saw Kirishima making his way behind Rima. She wasn't aware of it. She was looking at me, waiting for my reply.

"Well then, Mashiro-san, what brings you here then?" He smirked as Rima gasped then twisted her head, only to see Kirishima-kun who was smiling widely at her. A tint of pink made its way to her cheeks as she slowly turned away to avoid eye contact with Kirishima.

I felt like pouting. Rima needs to show how she feels one day. Kirishima obviously likes her. She knows that…

"Hello, Kirishima-kun. Rima just didn't feel like joining the meeting, you see, so we made our way here" I just said with a light chuckle, seeing that both my friends couldn't say or do something at the moment. Kirishima's face slightly lit up. He smiled then lay beside Rima. "I'm glad you chose to watch this basketball game as a getaway" He said. At that time, I knew what I had to do. I stood up, gripping on Yaya's arms then left, leaving Rima to chat with Kirishima alone.

She may get mad at me later but she will thank me later.

"Amu-chi, do you think they'll kiss?" Yaya asked. I snickered then turned to Yaya. "Let's hope!"

"They should kiss! Yaya knows that when two people love each other, they should kiss. Umm…Amu-chi, does Rima-tan like Kirishima-kun?"

"Of course, Yaya"

I know what Rima's like. She's not really the type that could easily trust people. I worked hard over the years to gain this much trust from her. She's a difficult girl. She doesn't how much people her true self. However, when someone works hard to gain her trust, she's very rewarding.

It's only me that's gotten to her core.

I know her parents fight

I know she secretly loves comedy

I know what she's like when she's in-love

I don't want to be the only one to know so much about her. I want to promise her that we'll be together forever, but I know that there would come a time wherein we'd have to separate. I want her to be more open.

Back there in Sakura Elementary, before Rima became the ice queen, she was very charming, loving and sweet; always eager to make new friends and talk about comedy as much as she can. As the cool n' cold at that time, I secretly looked up to her. 'She was able to express herself when I can't' I'd think. It changed after Rima was almost kidnapped. I saw her in a dark corner, all traces of the sweet loving girl we knew, _gone_.

"Amu-chi!" Yaya cut me off my trail of thoughts.

"There's a boy stuck in a tree!" She screamed. My head snapped to the direction was pointing. When I saw the boy, indeed, my face turned red.

"I-I-Ikuto?" I stammered. He just smirked then leaped down. Yaya looked at him, then me, and then back at him. "Amu-chi, you know this guy?" She asked. I shook my head vigorously. "O-o-o-of course not, Yaya!" I screeched. Ikuto just smirked then walked over to my peppy friend. He bent down then whispered something in her ear. Little by little, Yaya's eyes started to widen.

"What? Amu-chi, you let this boy sleep in the same bed as you in our field trip?" She screamed. I mentally face-palmed. I could've done something to stop him from whispering to Yaya, but I was too shocked to actually be able to move.

"…Amu-chi, why didn't you tell Yaya? I could've been more fun if the three of us slept together. It would be like a sleep-over! We could play truth or dare and stuff…and then we'll invite Naddy, Rima-tan, Tadase-kun and Kukai!"

Yaya is so innocent…

I flushed when I felt Ikuto's arms wrap around my waist.

"I'll see you around again, _Amu_" He teased. I stood there, not really knowing what to say or do. When he let go, I found my voice.

"Hentai!" I screeched. He smiled before jumping off and leaping from tree to tree.

When he left, my face slowly went back to its original color. I sighed as I continued to walk back with Yaya to the garden.

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**It's short. I know. This is the longest one I came up with before it all becomes nonsense and completely OOC. You see, I had such a hard time writing this chapter. I don't think that I was in a position to write this week. For awhile, I got seriously addicted to Phineas and Ferb and I needed to get back to the character's personalities here in Shugo Chara.**


	25. My purpose is what?

**Chapter 25**

**You know the previous chapter? Well, I hope it was happy and peppy because this is where things slowly turn dark, and then bright again, and then dark, and then bright, but this part is dark.**

**By the way, I honestly loved the feedbacks! I'm trying to get hooked to Shugo Chara again so I'll be in the right mood to write. After all, I **_**did**_** promise in the very first chapter that I'd finish this story. I **_**did**_** finish my previous story ("If Nagihiko was a Child Again") but it left no impact whatsoever, and I felt myself rushing around the ending part. Sigh...  
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**Anyway, updating may take a while longer. I don't want to write when I'm not in the mood to.**

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I snuggled under my covers after taking a warm bath. It's been a long day, and all I could really ask for right now is a good shut-eye. It's getting harder to sleep now, though, considering that my parents have stopped arguing- and not in a good way.

The tension between them is getting stronger, and they refused to look at each other.

At night, they'd normally be home to look after me (even though they were fighting) but tonight, they were working so I'm alone at home. The thing is, they'd never leave me alone. I'm scared. I've never been this uncertain before. Yes, I'd question their love for me but these past few days, that questioning is stronger than before.

Do they really love me or am I just an excuse for them to fight amongst themselves?

Why...?

That incident was a long time ago. Why can't they just be happy that I'm okay?

I sighed, shifted to the other side of my bed then hugged my knees. I shut my eyes then forced myself to think of things that would get my mind off things.

I could normally think of topics to get my mind off things, but I couldn't take it anymore. Their situation is getting worse and no matter how much they try to keep it from me, I can see it by the way they look at each other.

Their hatred for each other is starting to grow and I can see it. My chest immediately felt heavy and I found myself biting my lips and using all my might to keep the traitorous tears from rolling off.

I've had enough. Anymore of this and I might find myself crying. If I sleep, the tears would savor the chance and let themselves free.

From there, I knew it was going to be a sleepless night. Somehow like insomnia…

* * *

"Rima!"

I heard Amu call my name. I used the beret I brought to cover up my face as I brisk-walked towards the classrooms. Unfortunately, my brisk-walk was Amu's slow-pace. She easily caught up with me, her face looking worried.

"You okay, Rima?" She asked. I pulled my hat lower then sighed.

"Yes, Amu…"

"You know, we're not allow to wear our hats in the school premises"

I gritted my teeth at the sound of the voice. With a grunt, I turned and came face-to-face with _Nadeshiko_, most beloved, elegant, graceful, girly blah blah blah girl in school. "You have no right to scold me, Fujisaki" I groaned.

Nagihiko simply smiled in a teasing way then smirked. "The teachers trust me and claim that I have _potential_ so they gave me the right to bring those who don't abide by the high school rules to the principal's office. Of course…" His grin grew wider as he messed up my beret, causing my hair to shuffle. I glared at him. "…I would give consideration to someone as cute as you, Rima-chan!" He said. After a few seconds, he stopped messing with my hair then walked away.

Amu looked between the two of us then before her face turned puzzled.

"Wow, Rima. Nadeshiko really treats you differently" She said. I sighed then continued to walk towards the classroom.

"So why are your eye bags so big?" Amu asked. I didn't look back when I replied, "Why do you think did I bring a beret? It's to keep you from seeing my face!"

After I said that, she was silent and I was feeling worse than I ever did before. This is the first time I ever spoke to Amu that way eversince we got to know each other.

I came to class a few minutes before it could even start. Since I now know Kirishima, I realized that he's actually my classmate; a quiet student at the back row. When I came, he immediately looked away. I tried not to care. I really did, but I was slightly hurt. I quickened my pace then sat on my place, only to sigh in disappointment when I realized that Nagihiko wasn't there yet to get my mind off things.

When the teacher came in, I couldn't help but feel my chest begin to beat faster.

I…think I'm panicking…

Where's Nagihiko?

Didn't I speak with him just awhile ago?

Oh my Kami…

I need him to get my mind off things. He's perfect! He'll know what to do to get my mind off things! Why isn't he here yet? I need someone to glare at! I need someone to use as a let-out of my emotions! When I see him, I'm going to give him the nastiest glare I've got. Glaring _is_ a way of letting my emotions out, right?

"Mashiro-san?"

"Hai?" I screamed. I immediately covered my mouth when I realized what was going on. The teacher was in the middle of a discussion. She probably saw me –not at my best- then called out my name. Since I was in a state of panic, I couldn't help but exclaim. Everyone was looking at me, amusement evident in their eyes.

I immediately let the beret fall over my face as to cover my face.

*Scoff* As if covering my face would help solve my problems.

"Is everything okay, Mashiro-san? You know…hats aren't allowed in school…"

"Why do you care?" I spat. The teacher was taken aback. For the first time, I _cared_ about what was going on around me.

I cared that my classmates were probably whispering mean things about me…

I cared that the teacher may give me a low grade in behavior…

I now realize that I care about Kirishima-kun not minding me…

I probably care about Nagihiko too, considering I'm so panicked without him.

I abruptly stood then glared at the teacher.

"May I use the rest room…?" I said in a way that was more like a demand rather than a question. I didn't give her time to reply because before she could even mumble a word, I was stomping my way to the door. When I got out, I put my weight on the wall then let out a long, devastated sigh.

I seriously don't know what's going on! I've never felt this way.

With shaking hands, I clutched my stomach.

I feel like puking…

I don't think that I can bottle up my emotions anymore. However, I don't want to cry.

"Rima!" I heard Kusukusu yell. She was headed towards me, a panicked look on her face.

I'm not worth fussing over.

I stumbled to a bench by the school garden.

That's right. I'm not worth fussing over. I'm just a nuisance and a bother.

I'm the cause of mama and papa's fighting.

I'm the one that broke Kirishima's heart.

All I've ever done to Amu was make her worry.

I'm not worthy to have great friends…

…I wouldn't be so surprised if Nagihiko is avoiding me…

I inhaled deeply. What was the point of it all? I was only of use to this world back then when I could make people laugh. At this time, I couldn't even make mama and papa laugh. No matter how many times I attempt, they keep hating each other, possibly even me!

"Rima, please stop worrying!" Kusukusu cried.

I got my pocket-notebook then opened it to a specific page. There were doodles of warm, happy families. I worked hard to draw these. It took me weeks.

I felt a pang tug on my hard and soon, I found myself ripping the pages.

Why did I have to be so weak back then? When I was being carried away by the van and was locked up in that room, what did I do? I cried. I cried as if crying would solve my problems. I cried as if some magical being from above would come down and set me free if I continued.

Only weak, mindless babies would cry…

_No_. _Nothing happens when I cry_.

Maybe if I didn't spend too much time crying, I would've figured out a way out. If I got away earlier, mama and papa wouldn't fight so much. We could still be happy. I wouldn't be as hopeless as I am now…

"Ri…Rima!" Kusukusu sounded exasperated.

I clutched my chest, feeling this heaving pain. I leaned back with a grunt.

…No one would notice me in pain, though.

"I am so useless…" I muttered darkly.

I gasped as I felt tears _trying _to burst.

"Why am I such an idiot?" I repeatedly slammed my head with both fists to keep drops from falling.

I will probably _never _be able to make anyone laugh or smile. Besides, why do I want that? _I have such a pointless dream_…

"Impossible…"

I gasped then reluctantly twisted my head to where Kusukusu was. My heart immediately ran cold when I saw an x-egg instead.

I felt my eyes widen as my body paralyzed and fell over. I felt this hopeless feeling envelope me. It wasn't as bad as I thought, though. Why hold back?

The world would be better off without me… 


	26. Tears

**Chapter 26**

**~~~~Amu's POV~~~~**

I sighed then stared out the window. I was never into school, but I didn't seem to mind math class. What I hated was English. However, I couldn't listen. Too many thoughts were blocking out what the teacher was saying.

The way Rima acted towards me earlier completely shocked me. Also, why were her eye bags so big? She probably didn't get much sleep last night but why?

It could be simple reasons like watching a gag show all night and losing track of time but Rima wasn't like that. She's too responsible to watch all night, knowing that there's school the next day.

"What's bothering Rima…?" I voiced my thoughts. A slam on my desk startled me; the teacher eyed me.

"Hinamori-san, please answer the question on the board!" Sanjou-san narrowed her eyes. Everyone in class 'ooed'.

It was Cool n' Spicy vs. Yukari-baka.

I looked at the board then gulped.

_Find the inverse of: _

_F(x) = 3x + 6_

What the heck's with all that random numbers and letters put in a random order? What's with the x and the 6 and 3x and equal and inverse and… _f_…?

Am I supposed to be finding the f?

"Pst! Amu-chan! The answer's simple! It's x–6/ 3!" Miki whispered.

"It's x-6/ 3" I said in a cool monotone. Yukari gave me a suspicious glare before walking back to the platform. I sat there, wondering how the heck that became the answer.

"Thanks, Miki. How'd you know?" I asked. My chara sighed. "I pay attention in class"

I sweat-dropped.

"Uh…thanks…"

The second the bell rang, I gathered my things then raced out of the door. I was in too much of a hurry to find Rima, though, that I must've failed to slow down at a sharp curve in our school hallways. Without warning, I crashed into someone, causing his or her books to scatter all over the ground. As the cool n' spicy, however, I couldn't show mercy.

I just calmly picked up all the person's books then placed it on his or her lap. My way of showing my sorry without actually saying it…

"Watch where you're going" I muttered.

The person scoffed. "What do you mean by that? Apparently, _you're_ the one that bumped into me"

I frowned then looked up to see the person, only to cock my head in confusion.

This girl had a beautiful structure; she was slim but the beanie and glasses covering a plenty amount of her face kept me from seeing how she looked. The only body part of hers that was clearly seen was her blonde, braided pigtails.

I sneered then stood up, noticing the many students that were starting to crowd us.

"Whatever. You're not worth my time" I grumbled.

"…Yes, and so are you; now move since I don't want to be seen with you…_squirt_" She sighed, walking ahead of me. I stood there, paralyzed. Did that girl just…make a comeback…? The crowd started to chatter on about a rivalry between us. After awhile, I started hearing things about her being my long, lost, cool n' spicy twin.

Seriously?

I shrugged it off with a sigh. Right now, I need to find Rima.

Ran, Miki and Su are of no use again, because they left me to finish their project (whatever it may be) so it was more difficult for me to find her. Alas, I found myself resting behind the Royal Garden. After awhile of resting, a blonde, noodle-like hair caught my eye. I felt my legs spring as I made my way towards the blonde.

"Rima!" I yelled.

She didn't move, making me worry. She _always_ reacts to my voice.

I stopped running towards her, realizing that she didn't even care. I clutched my fists then bit my lips in worry and anxiety. I've never felt so distant from Rima.

When something tapped me on the shoulder, I felt myself jump. "Nadeshiko?" I screeched. She smiled warmly then held my hand. "Let's talk to her together okay, Amu-chan?"

I sniffed then wiped my eyes with my pinky. I didn't realize that I was starting to tear up.

"Thanks"

She sighed then squeezed my palm. She inhaled before pulling me towards Rima. When she saw her face, however, Nadeshiko fell on her knees then clutched both sides of Rima's shoulders. "Rima-chan? Rima-chan!" She started to panic. I felt my breath quicken as I, too, rushed towards her.

When I saw Rima's face dull lacking color, my eyes widened.

"Rima…where's…Kusukusu…?" I gasped.

Her face lacked color and emotion and her eyes were dull and monotonous. She kept her face blank as she replied, "Why would I need Kusukusu…? That guardian character is useless because my dream is pointless…"

"Making people laugh is not pointless! Rima, it's your hobby!" I automatically screeched. Nadeshiko froze then stared at me.

"T-that's chibi-devil's dream…?"

I mentally face-palmed. I can't believe I let one of Rima's secrets slip. Then again, I can trust Nadeshiko. "U-um…yeah…" I muttered. She turned her gaze back at Rima, but this time, with a smile.

"Your dream isn't pointless, Rima-chan. You made me laugh countless times and…I liked it" She sighed then let go of Rima's shoulders

"You're lying" Rima muttered. "You're a liar…Nadeshiko…"

"This time I am not lying!"

"How can you prove it? For all I know, you're lying about not lying. Can't you see? I have no purpose"

"_It's impossible…"_

Nadeshiko and I gasped as Rima started to float. From behind her and x-ed version of Kusukusu's egg came. It gave off a dark, violet light and then enveloped Rima. My heart-beat paced as I watched in horror as Rima transformed in the midst of that dark light.

"Is she…" Nadeshiko started.

"…doing charanari…" I finished.

Yaya, Tadase, Kukai and Kairi ran towards us with exhausted faces. Following them were theirs and my charas.

"W-what's happening to Rima-tan?" Yaya panicked. I gulped as I helplessly watched Rima's costume finish.

"She's character transforming…with Kusukusu's x-egg…" I gasped.

Everyone's jaws were dropped as they watch in terror.

"Amu-chan, don't just stand there! Character transform with me!" Su squeaked. It took me awhile before I could speak again. "C-character transform with you, Su? S-sure!" I nodded. Everyone turned to me with hopeful expressions as I fell into the bright green light.

"Charanari: Amulet Clover!" I gasped. Rima finished the same time as me.

She said in a monotonous manner, "Charanari: Solemn Jester"

For the first time, she had her hair in a low twin-tail, held by two large, black ribbons. Solemn Jester's outfit was a black dress ending around three inches above her knee with a huge bubble. Her neck was covered with a grey, clown collar; she wore grey, net stockings and her shoes were too big on her, yet giving her an adorable look.

She made her first attack, only to startle me, seeing that these were deadly knives aiming straight at me. From the shock of her weapons, I couldn't move.

"Holy Crown!" the move protected me just in time.

I turned, only to meet a pair of magenta eyes. I felt my face flush as I started to mumble a soft "Thank you" to Tadase-kun. He smiled. "It's no problem at all. We'll be here to support you, Amu-chan!" He said.

Yaya, Kukai and Kairi were already in their character changes. "Thanks!" I blinked. I turned my gaze back at Rima.

"Bring it on!" Kukai yelled, flying up, up, up in an attempt to distract Rima as I hurled towards her, successfully dodging all the weapons she aimed at me.

I never knew that there would come a time like this. A time wherein Rima and I would fight, neither holding back. I knew I couldn't hold back. Rima's character transformation was obviously more powerful (not to mention dangerous) than mine. Of course, I also didn't hurt her whenever I got a clear shot on her face. It just scared me how such a small, innocent girl could handle such deadly weapons.

"Rima, snap out of it!" I cried as she managed to bruise my stomach. Though the blood seeped through my green dress I gasped, not from the sight, but from the pain.

Rima grabbed the knife that hit me, then flung it at me again, only to miss me because I fell just in time because of the pain. Luckily (…I think…) I fell into a trash bin so I didn't get too hurt. Rima's face remained emotionless as she floated down until she was close to me. I shut my eye as she raised the knife, ready to stab me with it.

The exact same time I expected her to stab me, that's the exact same time I heard a loud 'clang'. When I opened my eyes Nadeshiko was shielding me with the trash can's lid.

"Naddy!" Yaya screamed, making her way towards Nadeshiko and me. Kukai landed as Tadase followed Yaya.

"Rima-chan, that was dangerous!" Nadeshiko yelled, dropping the trash can's lid and abruptly grabbing both of Rima's wrists.

"Let go. You know, I can still hurt you even if you have my hands held out like that…" Rima replied calmly. I quickly got out of the trash can then made my way towards Rima but Nadeshiko held me back. She's obviously telling me to stay back for safety reasons but why is she risking herself? I can literally feel my heart pounding with worry.

"When people laugh, they become happy, even if it's just for a second. The thing is, Rima-chan, you didn't make me happy for _just _a second but…you make me happy for longer than I should be…" I noticed how Nadeshiko's grip on Rima's wrist began to lighten as she said those.

"Rima-chan, many people love you for who you are. You should just notice them…" She sighed.

Rima's lips began to quiver but her face remained stoned.

"…Also, don't be afraid to cry…" Nadeshiko hummed. That's when, for the first time, I saw Rima cry. Everyone stood in silence as they watched with sympathy, sadness and a mix of other emotions. Nadeshiko began to lightly tap Rima's shoulders as her small figure began to shake.

At that time, only the sound of her silent sobs were heard. Even the grasshoppers and birds remained silent, as if they knew what was going on.

"Amu-chi…now's the time!" Yaya reminded me. I smiled.

"Negative heart: Lock on…" The bright light aimed itself at Rima. "…Open heart…"

**~~~~Rima's POV~~~~**

I'm drained…

...And relieved

I wiped the races of tears from my cheek as I continued to make my way home, not even bothering to call my parents to pick me up. Too many emotions were flooding my heart and seeing my parents is the worst thing I could possibly want at the moment.

I walked in silence as I cradled Kusukusu's egg in my palms.

"I'm sorry, Kusukusu…" I said, but she remained silent. I sighed. She's mad at me for turning me into that, so I still need to gain her affection. A large gallon of ice cream could fix that problem, I'm sure.

"Is your house this way, Rima?" Amu asked. I nodded lightly as I continued to follow her. Beside me was Nagihiko, and if it weren't for what he did for me, I wouldn't even be letting him get this close to me.

Both knew how much I hated to see my parents at this point, so they both offered to walk me home. I assured them that I will do the explaining when I get home and they don't need to worry about me with that anymore.

Yaya, Kukai, Kairi and Tadase left and went home, seeing that the three of us needed our alone time.

"Amu…I'm so sorry…" I cried as I gazed at the wound in her stomach. She clutched it before turning to me with a smile. "It's okay, Rima. I'll just bandage it. No biggie"

It _is _a big deal. The blood's leaking through her uniform so how can she smile?

"Rima-chan, stop blaming yourself" Nagihiko put a hand on my shoulder. I sighed then turned to him.

"Rima." I said. He widened his brown eyes in confusion.

"What…?"

"You can call me _Rima_" I smiled. Nagihiko smiled in return then chuckled.

"Okay then, _Rima_!"

Amu turned to us with a smile.

"I'm glad that you guys are getting along"

I came to an abrupt stop then sighed.

"Well, this is my house…" I mumbled, looking up at the white house beside me. The brows of both creased as they looked through the window. "Are you sure you don't need us to help you explain?" Amu wondered. I smiled simply then walked to the door.

"I'll be fine…"

I walked in the shut the door behind me. The first thing I heard was a pan fall and my mother's desperate call.

"Rima, is that you?" She screamed. I let out a sigh before groaning a yes.

My parents scurried to the door then hugged me. When they stopped, they brought me to the couch.

"Okay, Rima. Tell us where you were!" Dad exclaimed. I sighed before muttering "In school"

"What were you doing there? Why didn't you call us?"

"I was with my friends!" I screeched. Both parents looked at each other before turning back to me.

"Do you have any idea how much we worried! This is your fault for being such a terrible example!" Dad screamed at my mom. Mom's face reddened in fury as she pointed an accusing finger at my dad. "How is this _my _fault? You've got no one to blame but yourself!"

Mama and papa are fighting again, but the feeling of this one is worse. It's got a lot more hate and anger involved.

Once again, I felt the tears tugging to get out, and remembering Nagihiko's comforting words, I let them fall.

My parents abruptly stopped fighting then turned to me with shocked faces. "R-Rima? Why are you crying?" Mom panicked as she hurried her way beside me. Dad sat on my other side, the same worried face etched all over his face.

"I-it's just…why can't you both just get along…?" I sobbed.

They both looked at each other in silence and a different expression I've never seen before. It's not hate nor is it pure, everlasting love. It was something entirely new.

All of a sudden, I felt both their arms wrap around me in a comforting manner.

"We're sorry…"

"You know, we love you…"

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**Yehey! Some Rimahiko moments, although Amu was oblivious. Of course, she doesn't know that Nadeshiko **_**is**_** a guy.**


	27. Chou

**Chapter 27**

**Hey, everyone! Happy holidays! After this chapter, I may update less since I'm going to the beach for another surfing trip.**

**ANYWAY, just to let you know, **_**Chou**_** means 'butterfly' in Japanese. Why am I telling you this, you ask? It's in the story.**

**MERRY CHRISTMAS!

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**

I sat on the couch with a rather slight smile as I watched dad carry his luggage out the door. Before leaving, he walked over to me to give me a light hug.

"Have fun with your mom, Rima. I'm sorry we can't be like we used to be in one blink. Your mother and I need some time and a break from each other. After a month, I'll come back and everything will be better than before" He said. I let my hair fall in a sad manner, but behind it was a beam. It's true. I can't expect everything to progress way too fast. I need to be patient.

"Okay, papa. I understand" I whispered. He smiled then kissed my head. With wide eyes, I brought my hand over to the area he kissed.

_When was the last time he kissed me like that…?_

"See you again, papa!" I jumped then hugged him tightly. He chuckled at my sudden action as tears brim the corners of my eye.

Just then, mama came to my side then played with my hair. "She's going to be fine, I assure you" She said rather awkwardly. Dad let out a gruff cough then muttered, "S-sure. I trust you. J-just…no boys okay, Rima?" He turned to me, embarrassed. I laughed light-heartedly.

"I'm not interested in anyone now…"

He smiled, "That's my girl…" then walked out the door.

"See you both in a month!"

Mama and I waved back as we watched his figure get smaller and smaller through the distance.

I sighed with a smile then hugged mama.

This is one step towards being a happy family again…

* * *

Today, I managed to convince mama that I could walk to school but she only allowed me if I had friends with me so I called Amu. When there was a knock on the door, I grabbed my bag, said a happy farewell to my mom and opened the door, only to have my jaw drop at the sight of the entire group of guardians there. Yaya suddenly started to bawl as she glomped me to the ground.

"Waah! Rima-chi! Yaya was so worried about you yesterday! How are you?"

I sighed happily then pat her head. "I'm fine…" I smiled.

"Well that's good, Rima. Amu-chan was worried the entire night, you know"

I glared at Nagihiko. "You can only call me Rima-_sama_" I grumbled, making Nagihiko snicker. "But Rima, you gave me permission to call your name without any honorific yesterday!" He smirked. I felt my head heat up in anger.

"…I was in an emotional state yesterday"

"You didn't even thank me for saving you yesterday"

"No. _Amu_ saved me- not you. All you did was say lines from the movie"

Nagihiko scoffed. "My, my, Rima-chan. I _do_ memorize lines from movies but as you can see, everything yesterday was simultaneous"

I rolled my eyes. "_Thank you_" I sneered at him, a tint of pink making its way to my cheeks so I covered it with strands of my yellowish hair. Nagihiko paused before mumbling a 'You're welcome'.

Everyone else sighed.

"…They're mad at each other yet they're friends at the same time. Mashiro and Fujisaki have a very odd relationship"

Everyone nodded in agreement at Kukai's statement.

"I heard that…" I grumbled, shooting Kukai a death glare. He trembled then slowly turned away from me, making me smirk.

When I looked at Amu, perhaps to chat with her, I felt my entire face redden in fury as I saw her speaking with _'Nadeshiko'_ instead.

"…So, when's Nagihiko coming back? It would be cool to see you both at the same time!"

"A-actually, Amu-chan, N-Nadeshiko and I…aren't really close…"

"Huh? Honto? No way! Why?" She panicked. Just then, I cut in between them then reluctantly faced Nagihiko with a low growl emitting through my lips. "Nadeshiko, speaking to Amu is off-limits"

"…But I saved you"

"You can't use it against me forever" I snapped. He sighed then turned to another female student of Seiyo sprawled to the sidewalk. She must've fallen because all of her things were scattered to the ground. Nagihiko shrugged then walked towards the girl.

"If I help this girl out then at least maybe _she_ would appreciate me" He stuck his tongue out at me. I puffed my cheeks. "Why should I care?"

Nagihiko walked over to the girl, kneeling next to her with a small smile. The girl smiled back then they started to chat.

My stomach began to churn.

The girl (COMPLETELY random girl, if I may add) said something, and it was probably about Nadeshiko's 'brother' by the way she blushed continuously. Nagihiko shrugged then let his hair loose, causing the girl to chuckle.

I felt my breath quicken and my entire figure heat up.

"Rima-tan, why are you staring at Na-chi with a strange expression?" Yaya tapped my shoulder. Behind her, Amu, Kukai and Kairi stood with the same confused expression; although Tadase's face showed hints that he had a slight idea of what was going on since he knew of Nadeshiko's true gender…

…Not that I actually like Nagihiko…

Nagihiko sighed, said something then tied his back into a pony-tail, causing the girl to pout. They parted ways then Nagihiko hurriedly made his way back to us.

"Sorry for taking so long"

"We weren't waiting. We were actually about to leave you…" I muttered, although it didn't seem to effect Nagihiko at all. The entire way to school, I made sure that I was at least four inches near him…not that it meant anything.

Class time

When we entered the classroom, people gave us suspicious glances and so I remembered…right after I ran off class, I never came back. Nagihiko probably ran out too…

"H-hello, Mashiro-san…" Kirishima said as I passed him. When he said that, I felt my legs paralyze from shock. Did he just talk to me…?

"Hello, Kirishima-kun…" I said, not looking at him. Kirishima sighed then tapped my shoulder. I still didn't look. "M-Mashiro-san, I'm sorry about what happened a few days ago. I just…exploded. I didn't mean to bad-mouth the Fujisaki twins. I mean…I have no right to since you guys are friends…"

I sighed then looked at him. My chest still felt slightly heavy towards he boy, but I've always wanted to forgive him. Of course, even if he is _Fuyuki Kirishima_, I am not going to be so easy to get back.

"You can't apologize to me. Apologize to Nadeshiko…and _Nagihiko_…" I stated. Kirishima froze and I let a smile crack through my lips as I remembered what happened to Yaya's cake. "I'll help you out in the process, but that doesn't mean we're friends. I'll only make sure there's no cake within his reach"

Kirishima nodded with a red face. "I-if that's what it takes…"

"…we can be friends but nothing more than that" I reminded him. Kirishima nodded then bit his lips. After awhile, he looked at me with a rather worried expression. "Mashiro-san, just out of curiosity…are you and Fujisaki Nagihiko going out…?"

I choked.

People; can't they see that I obviously don't have a thing for Nagihiko? How can someone be so naïve?

"No. I will never date. I don't plan to marry. I will simply adopt a child to start a family twenty years from now" I grumbled. Nagihiko, who must've heard the conversation, chuckled causing me to give him a deathly glare. Of course, being the perfect guy that he is, didn't even flinch.

Kirishima gave out a sigh of relief then smiled. "Well, that's good to hear, Mashiro-san!" He said. I shrugged then walked to my seat, trying my hardest to ignore the curious and suspicious glances people would give me.

"…It's a relief to hear that Fujisaki-kun's still single…"

"I'd like to know about the other cute guys of Seiyo, though; like Hotori-kun…or Souma-kun!"

"Well…Kirishima-kun obviously has a thing for Mashiro-san so he's unavailable. That's too bad…"

_That's right. I shall try to ignore them…_but it's hard to with all these annoying gossips I can hear and understand.

The bell rang, signaling the start of class so I sat on my place, secretly glad that Nagihiko was beside me unlike the other day. "Where were you yesterday?" I asked him as I pretended to take notes of whatever the teacher was mumbling about. Nagihiko's eyes widened at my question then he awkwardly moved away, causing me to panic inside.

"Idiot…" I mumbled instead to hide how I was truly feeling.

"…so anyway, here's our new student!" The teacher smiled. I folded my notebook and hid my pen; so much for pretending to take notes. She was only telling us about this new student…

The door slid open and the expression of everyone in class changed from curious to puzzled. I'm sure I had the same expression and Nagihiko did too.

I mean…

The new girl's body structure was nice and slim. Black, lacy stockings covered her slender legs. Around her neck was a thin, black, tightly wrapped ribbon. Unlike the rest of the students, whose black blazers covered the entire arm, hers was cut off in the shoulders; instead of normal white school polo, she wore a white, ruffled blouse that ended tightly around her wrists.

She seemed beautiful but…why would she cover her entire face with thick-rimmed glasses and her hair with a black and violet beanie?

"Everyone, this is Chou Tsukiyomi!" The teacher announced.

"Chou-san, please say hi to e-"

Chou rudely strut to the seat behind Nagihiko before the teacher could even finish, causing the teacher to gape. "T-Tsukiyomi-san, that was rude! How about getting community service on your very first day or scho-"

"Shut up, old hag. None of the new students like introducing themselves. It only causes tensions and misunderstandings. Besides, I can't do community service. My schedule is way too hectic for that"

The teacher's face reddened in fury. Just as she was about to exclaim, Chou cut her off, "Just you try to scream at me. I am Tsuakasa's close friend and he can fire you, you know"

And so the teacher's mouth remained shut.

Hm. I wish I could've done that on the first day of school. Then again, I am cool just the way I am.

"Why do all the transfer students always have this extravagant personality? Is there a _normal_ transfer student out there…?" I heard Nagihiko mumble under his breath as Chou sat behind him. An awkward silence filled the room as everyone stared at the new girl as she calmly blew her newly done nails.

It didn't look like she would earn fans with her face covered up like that. We don't even know if she has a pretty face. Besides, the glasses made her look nerdy…in a way…

Chou Tsukiyomi is…a strange and mysterious girl…

* * *

**I know what you're thinking. An OC? Well, you can think however you want to… although I bet some of you guys are suspecting…**

**Anyway, Merry Christmas, people! Thanks for reading up to this point.**


	28. Cream puffs for Kusukusu part 1

**Chapter 28**

**It's too windy! The waves are so messed up…**

**Anyway, I still use the laptop whenever there's an opportunity. On with the story!

* * *

**

"…_so what do you want to do with her"_

"_We don't need to do anything to her. Just…keep her in that room and wait for her parents to come fetch her with that plenty chunks of cash that would soon make us rich!"_

"_What if they don't come? After all, the money we're asking for is quite a lot. What if they're not willing to sacrifice it to get her back!"_

"…_then we'll just let her rot there. Don't expect me to go buying some food for the bait."_

_I buried my face deeper into my curled arms which was being held in place by my bended knees. Stained face, messed-up curls, light bruises…I felt so fragile and defenseless. I could hardly move because my entire body was shaking with the continuous sobs._

_I don't really know what happened. One moment, I was walking down the road from the park. My house was only a few meter away. Only a few more meters but I ended up being carried away by that van anyway!_

"_M-mamma…papa…" I sobbed. The man threw a book at my cell._

"_Shut up and stop sobbing, brat!" He yelled. I didn't stop. I curled myself even tighter then rocked back and forth as an attempt to comfort myself._

"_H-help me…"_

"Mashiro-san!"

"Help…me…mumble…mumble…"

"Mashiro-san!"

"Shut up. At least let me get to the not so tragic part of my dream…mumble…"

Smash!

"WAH!"

I sat straight back up at the sound of a clash. I looked at the table, only to find Nikaidou-sensei's encyclopedia slammed against my desk.

I am _so_ lucky this teacher isn't Yukari-baka.

"Are you sleeping during my class, Mashiro-san?" Nikaidou said, almost panicked. I was about to reply when oh-so-annoying Chou cut in, "Why ask such an obvious question? You're just as idiotic as Yukari. You guys should get together again, you know"

Everyone, including me, gasped.

Nikaidou twitched.

Chou…drank off a cup of shake and is somehow getting away with it.

"T-t-t-that was years ago!"

"That's exactly what Yukari would say, only she'd add the extra sentence, 'It was the biggest mistake of my life'"

Awkward Silence

_Seriously…?_

I flipped my curls, leaned forward then sighed. "How gauche…"

Just then, the bell rang. Everyone abruptly stood up, eager to spread the little gossip.

"D-don't spread it!" Nikaidou cried, coming after the students who were swiftly walking away, leaving me, Nagihiko and Chou alone.

"How did you know that, Chou-san?" Nagihiko asked, using her sweet, sugary voice and oh-so-famous 'Innocent-Nadeshiko-head-tilt'. Chou stood from her seat to gather her things. "It's a secret."

She stopped then eyed us. "Say…are you guys part of the guardians?"

"Yes" I answered blatantly. Chou's eyes immediately narrowed then she stomped off.

"What a strange girl…" Nagihiko mumbled, using his real voice, as he watched Chou's retreating figure. "…It's almost as if she hates the guardians though we did nothing to her"

"She's not worth the wonder" I sighed, flipping the bag around my shoulders.

After Class: At home

Other than an over-protective parent, the atmosphere in the house really has changed. When I got home, there were no broken jars whatsoever. Happily, I skipped to my bedroom to greet Kusukusu but no matter how many times I tried to poke her egg, she won't hatch.

I sighed.

She's obviously still mad at me but why? I'm okay now…

I stood up, put her egg in my pocket, then scurried down the stairs.

"Mama, I'm going to the grocery to buy some ice cream" I called while putting on the coat that I left lying around in the couch.

"It's not far, is it?" Mama called through the kitchen. I said a quick 'it's not' then ran out.

* * *

I kept my small hand in the pocket of the coat the entire walk. It's strange how I'm starting to feel so cold. What month is it? I can't believe that I don't know.

A bell in the grocery signaled my entry. I passed by the shelves, noticing the many ingredients you can use to make desserts. All of a sudden, simply buying Kusukusu an ice cream seemed dull and boring. She would definitely appreciate it if I put in more effort in what I will give her.

I gently pulled pastry cream from the shelf then sighed. This is it. I am making her a cream puff…

I got a cart then started to gather the ingredients to make a cream puff.

…well…I _had_ to ask a worker to tell me exactly what I needed…other than the cream filling. Satisfied that I managed to do a grocery on my own, I carried the many shopping bags on my way home. I also bought pepper spray…just in case another bunch of men attempt to kidnap me again…

I kicked the door open, shocking my mom by the many ingredients I bought then brought everything to the kitchen. I lay the ingredients on the table and then…stared at it all. When I was buying the ingredients and was making plans to make cream puffs, I forgot one _very_ important aspect.

I don't have a single clue on how to make these treats.

Mama came into the kitchen then smiled. "I didn't know you knew how to make those, Rima-chan!"

I felt heat flood my face. "T-that's the thing, mama. I-I don't know…"

Her face immediately dropped. "O-oh. Then let me help you out"

I gasped then glanced at my mom, a huge smile visible on my face. "Okay!" I exclaimed. The last time I got to bake something with mom was a few weeks before the kidnapping incident; the time when the family was still happy.

Mama got a baking book then we slowly tried to follow everything in it. It was honestly getting harder and harder to do, and everything we made wasn't going as planned. I swear to Kami…something is definitely wrong with the batter we made.

…is it really supposed to be brown and liquid-y?

"…well, according to the book, we're supposed to put it on the grill now"

I nodded. "The book _is_ always right" I agreed.

However…when we put our brown, liquid-y batter on the grill, it slipped and fell straight to the fire. Mom and I gawked. "All our hard-work…gone…" I cried. Mama bit her lip a bit then scrunched her brows. "I'm sorry about not knowing anything about baking, dear. If you really want to make that, why not call someone who _can_ at least make a decent and appetizing batter"

I blushed lightly as a vivid image of Nagihiko crossed my mind.

"O-oh yeah. That's right, mama. I'm going to call Amu now" I mumbled, awkwardly making my way to the phone.

I'll just make her character change with Su. That will do the trick! Now I don't have to call on purple-head to ask for help!

* * *

"…I'm sorry, Rima. I have to baby-sit Ami!" Amu cried as I pleaded her to come.

I sighed then gently lay the phone. Another attempt wouldn't hurt. Maybe Yaya would know how to since she's so addicted to sweets.

I sighed then dialed.

* * *

"…I-I'm sorry, Rima-tan! Yaya's mama doesn't allow her to bake unless the fire department's close by; although…she can come over when the sweets are done!"

"Never mind…" I sighed, pressing the red button.

* * *

_Another attempt_

"…I'm sorry, Mashiro-san, but I need to take care of my grandmother. She's pretty sick today…"

Looks like Tadase's unavailable today…

* * *

_Another attempt_

"…Ugh! I'd love to, Mashiro, but I lost a bet by my brothers so I have to serve them for this entire day!"

…so is Kukai…

* * *

_Another attempt_

"…I have to take care of my older sister, Queen. Goodbye"

TOOOOOT

It was rude of Kairi to hang up on me like that. Then again, the second Jack's chair never was considerate…

* * *

_Another attempt_

"…Why the heck are you calling me? By the way, how'd you get my number?"

"It's…in the class directory…"

"Goodbye!"

I sighed. Why'd I even consider calling Chou in the first place…?

* * *

_Another attempt_

"A grand and heart-warming adventure stands before you, child!"

I sweat-dropped.

"N-Noboku…?"

"Yes, it is I! Saeki Noboku!"

I hang up. That was just plain weird beyond different levels…

* * *

I finally sighed. For now, there's only one person left to call…

I reluctantly dialed a number then placed it on my ear, hoping that time would stop before he even answers the phone.

"Hello?" The voice on the other line is definitely his. I sighed.

"H-hello…purple-head…" I bit my lip.

There was a pause on the other line. He's probably just as shocked as I am that I actually just called him.

"What is it, Rima?"

"Add an honorific…" I grumbled. He didn't make a comeback. Some maid was probably close by so he couldn't make an insult, no matter how good. "C-can you come over to my house and help me bake cream puffs? It's…for Kusukusu!" I said, biting my lip. Nagihiko was still silent on the other line.

"Why didn't you ask Amu-chan or the others?" He asked. I groaned.

"Trust me. I tried-even Noboku and Chou. Just…come over, tea-bag"

"Sure, sure, demon spawn-I mean my dear, beloved friend…" He said the last part in his high, Nadeshiko voice, confirming my theory of there being a maid or someone close by. I smirked. "Okay then! I'll be expecting you, oh-so-annoying cross-dresser who right now, couldn't make a comeback!"

"I'll get back at you later, Rima!" His voice and tone was sweet and sugary, though there's a slight edge to it. I snickered then hang-up.

"So who's coming over?" Mom asked. I smiled sweetly at her then snickered, "A thing named Nadeshiko Fujisaki"

Mom frowned. "That wasn't very nice, Rima-chan"

I was never nice. If only she knew...

* * *

**Heya! Just to let you know. I made this and the next chapter with no internet connection; that is why I have absolutely no clue on how to make cream puffs. Sigh...**


	29. Cream puffs for Kusukusu part 2

**Chapter 29**

**Hey, everyone! I can't believe that this fanfic already has 29 chapters :D I hope you enjoy this chapter. On with the story!**

**

* * *

**

Few minutes later, the doorbell rang. I stopped preparing the ingredients then skipped to the door, only to gape in shock when I saw Nagihiko looking more like a guy rather than a girl. He wore a grey sweater, brown pants and a pair of expensive-looking rubber shoes.

"Hello, Chibi devil demon spawn-chan!" He smiled. I twitched then grabbed him by the shoulder. His eyes widened as I brought his face closer to mine.

"Why didn't you come as Nadeshiko?" I hissed. He pulled away from me then sighed. "You didn't tell me to go as her. Besides, I'm tired of wearing skirts!"

"That doesn't matter! My mom's he-"

"Oh? You're visitor's there! Let her i-" My mom stopped then lightly gasped when she saw Nagihiko standing in the doorway instead. "…I-I mean…please…let _him_ in…"

I glared at Nagihiko as I gave him way.

"So you're Nadeshiko?" Mama wondered.

Nagihiko slowly shook his head. "No, ma'am. My name is Nagihiko Fujisaki. I'm Nadeshiko's twin brother but she's currently not home so she asked me to come instead"

Why didn't Freak say that he's Nadeshiko? He could simply put his hair up in a ponytail and _pretend _to be a girl!

"He's just a random thing that's scrambling into our home" I said nonchalantly. Nagihiko opened his mouth to say something but immediately shut it. Instead, a smirk filled his expression as he put both hands on his waist in a proud manner.

"I bet that you'd really want to punish me for coming without permission, huh, Rima!" He said innocently. I flinched then turned to him, fury evident in my eyes. He tucked his hands in the pocket of his pants then shrugged. "I was just kidding!"

Mom watched us in wonder then chuckled.

"A-and here I thought _you_ were the best at coming up with comebacks, Rima-chan!" She laughed. I groaned then glared at Nagihiko, although he must've seen the smile hidden beneath my glare because he warmly smiled back at me instead, somehow causing my stomach to stir up.

"A-anyway, make the cream puffs already! Show him the way, Rima-chan" She grinned then hurried up the stairs. I started to mutter death curses at Nagihiko for even answering the stupid phone that brought me to this mess.

When we got to the kitchen, I sat on the dining chair then played with the flour. "Why aren't you helping, Rima?" Nagihiko questioned while preparing two bowls. I rolled my eyes then leaned back. "Why do you think I called you? It's to make you do the work"

"You're being abusive, Rima"

I rolled my eyes. "Only to you, purple-head"

He sighed then walked away from the bowl. For a second I feared that he'd leave me, that is, until I felt hands wrap around my waist. Slowly, he pulled me up then ended up carrying me bridal style. For a second, my heart skipped a bit but then out of instinct, I found myself struggling.

"Let go of me, idiot!"

"Only if you admit that you really need me for this. Also, say that you'll help"

I stubbornly crossed my arms then pouted. "For the sake of getting down, I _need_ you for this, Nagihiko, and I'll help you"

In my pocket, I felt Kusukusu's egg wobble a bit, causing me to quietly gasp. Nagihiko smiled then gently put me down. I pretended to shove dust off my dress then groggily got the whisk. "Let's get this over with" I said while patting Kusukusu's egg in my pocket. He chuckled; his chuckle is surprisingly sweet and cute…

"Okay then, Rima!"

"Add an honorific!"

* * *

Nagihiko was done with his first batter a few minutes before I could finish mine. He stopped organizing the bowls then went to me, only to wince at what I have done. "R-Rima…it's not supposed to be bubbly and green…"

I furrowed my brows then puffed my cheeks. "This is so boring. I can't even make the color right…" I mumbled. He sighed.

"Don't follow the baking books you have. They're all lies. First of all, you're no supposed to put sea weed in the batter" He said, putting up seaweed lying on my table. I raised my brows. "No wonder…" I whispered "…well then, show me how it's done"

He got a piece of paper and a pen then started scribbling down stuff. He smiled contently then handed it to me when he was done. "Follow these"

I groaned. "Are you _sure_ it won't turn grey?"

He nodded. "I'm positive"

I threw the green, icky _batter_ in the toilet then washed the bowl. "Okay. First…"

I followed the instructions carefully. From time to time, I'd look at what Nagihiko's doing then I'd be relieved, seeing that our batters _almost_ looked the same.

"N-Nagihiko! I-it actually looks edible!" I gasped when I was nearly done. He walked over to me then poked his head at the batter I made. He smiled then playfully pat me on the head. "Nice job"

I grinned. I honestly felt like I could do anything now…

"Alright!" I exclaimed whilst looking at the notes Nagihiko gave me. He smiled then went to his own working place then proceeded to knead his batter. I watched in awe as it started to form an amazing dough-like shape.

I knead my own batter, only to grunt in frustration. It won't even form a dough.

Suddenly, I started to hope that Nagihiko would come over and offer to help again. He didn't. I looked and saw that he was already putting everything on the oven. I crossed my arms then waited some more. He was too wrapped up in his own work!

"_Why don't you just ask for help, Rima!"_

My eyes shot wide open then I gasped. "Kusukusu?" I whispered. I know that voice is Kusukusu's.

The voice no longer responded. I sighed.

I don't want to ask purple-head for help. It's just impossible. I don't need to show him that I need him. Showing him by calling him for help with this is enough for an entire lifetime.

I groaned then continued to knead.

My batter started to bubble for some odd, unexplainable reason.

As much as I don't want to show that I need him, I obviously do. I narrowed my eyes then dried my throat as I awkwardly stumbled to his direction. When I got to him, I tugged on the hem of his sweater. He looked at me with a curious expression.

"I-I need your help, Nagihiko. My…batter started to bubble…"

He opened his mouth to reply but all of a sudden, my pocket started to shake and Kusukusu's egg hurled straight up then hatched. She giggled then turned to me. "Hooray! Rima is no longer a lone queen! She learned to ask for help!"

Nagihiko and I stared in shock; me, in slight anger.

"That's why you won't hatch?" I screamed. Kusukusu laughed then beamed. "I just wanted to teach Rima that being dependent on others from time to time is okay! You're not alone, Rima! There are a lot of people in this world that love you!"

"But you made me look weak…and to purple-head, nonetheless!"

"You didn't look weak in front of Nagi. Honestly, we thought it was cute!" I heard a high, squeaky voice call out. I turned to the direction of the voice then gasped slightly at the sight of Nagihiko's chara. He had the same violet hair, only it didn't look as silky, and he wore a pair of white headphones that were wrapped around his neck.

"I suppose this is the first time you guys officially met. Rima, this is my chara Rhythm"

Rhythm winked. "Yo! It's nice to meet 'cha!"

I sweat-dropped. "So that's where he gets his annoying play-boyish personality…" I silently muttered. Nagihiko sighed then reached for his other pocket. He then brought out a pink, flowery egg. "This is my second chara, but he hasn't hatched yet. I'm not sure what it's like, but if it's feminine enough, I could trick Amu-chan into believing Nadeshiko's gender. That's when I can tell them that I have a chara. I can't let them see Rhythm, though…and I bet you know why"

So basically, he's not as useless as I first thought. He just can't let Amu and the others see his chara.

I watched in amusement as Rhythm properly introduced himself to Kusukusu. They were getting along. It's strange that Nagihiko and I don't, though…

"Rima-chan! Nagihiko-kun! Look outside!" My mom came rushing down the stairs. Nagihiko smiled then grabbed my hand. Let's go, Rima-tan!" He chuckled, pulling me with him as he raced to the door with Kusukusu and Rythm following close behind. When he got out, he tripped on the doorstep then fell face first on something white and soft. Since he was holding onto me, I fell too. I heard a light 'thump' sound as I fell on top of him.

"Ow…" We both mumbled. Suddenly, a thought flashed through my mind. "You…fell…" I gasped. He smiled then continued to rub his head. "I'm just human"

I shook my head disbelieving at the thought. "I still can't believe that you fe-" I stopped abruptly, noticing the light snow-flakes lying softly on his long, dark hair. I gasped then looked up.

"It's…snowing…" I pointed out. Nagihiko smiled. "It is the right month, you know"

My eyes widened and I looked at him. "Oh yeah. I never checked the calendar"

We started to laugh together but after awhile, realization dawned upon him. "T-the cream puffs! I left a lot of them in the oven" He gasped. I shook my head, causing some clumps of snow to fall off my hair . "I'm not going back in t-Wah! Nagihiko, put me down!" I screamed as he suddenly flung me around his shoulders. He sighed then hurried back in, anyway. "We've got to finish it first"

* * *

So we finished it but you see, we ended up making bread instead of cream puffs. Kusukusu enjoyed it so it's supposedly fine but…I don't have a clue on what just happened so I'm confused.

"What went wrong?" I asked Nagihiko, who was already devouring a slice of bread, gazed at me. "I honestly don't know, Rima"

"Add an honorific" I grumbled, but he ignored me.

I sighed then happily took a bite off the bread. It didn't' turn out as I expected, but to be honest, it's still good. That is what matters.

* * *

**Okay. I'll be honest. I made this chapter with no internet connection so I had no idea how to make cream puffs. That's why I just ended it with bread.**

**Anyway, things will lighten up a bit. I feel like writing random chapters since a lot of idea's been coming to my mind (Cough...fangirls/boys...visits to certain shops...) so don't expect so much drama _for awhile_.  
**

**...And just to spoil you guys a bit...**

**Next Chapter: "A girl's trip to the undergarment shop"**

**I hope to hear from you guys ^_^**


	30. A trip to the undergarment shop

**Chapter 30**

**HAPPY NEW YEAR!  
**

**Hey! Thanks so much for the reviews. I really, really appreciate it, especially since I didn't force you guys to review :)**

**Hopefully, none of the characters are OOC in this chapter. I tried to keep them in character. On with the story!

* * *

**

Shuffling noises were audible in the small, dusty basement of the Royal Garden. Kairi opened different drawers to examine different papers.

"Exactly what are we looking for, Kairi?" Musashi asked the boy with jade-colored hair. Kairi sighed then pushed his glasses up to the bridge of his nose. "Any information that would show us how to defeat the guardians" He stopped abruptly as a pile of papers caught his eye. His eyes narrowed and he looked at it even closer.

"These are the list of their charanaris and moves" He stated.

"Hinamori Amu: Joker's chair. She has three charas but for now, has only transformed with two of them. Amulet Heart is her transformation with Ran. In that transformation, she can purify x-eggs by using open heart. Her moves are heart speeders and spiral heart…" He paused to furrow his brows and fall deep in thought. Musashi sighed then got another piece of paper.

"…Her Character transformation with her third chara, Su, is Amulet Clover. Amulet Clover's special move is 'remake honey', which will repair anything it touches" He finished.

"There's more…" Musashi informed, getting another paper from the back and putting it to the front. Kairi flinched.

"This is…" He started.

"The Second Queen's charanari with her x chara…" Musashi finished.

"Didn't Hoshina-san cause that? When she saw her feeling bad, she tainted her egg and forced her to transform with the x-ed chara" Kairi said. Musashi nodded. "In charanaris, even with an x-ed chara, the moves could never possibly be deadly"

"Kairi, let's observe those two…" Musashi suggested. At what his chara said, Kairi flinched.

"Is there something wrong, Kairi?" Musashi asked. Kairi shook his head- his face flushed.

"I-I can't. I…heard that they're going underwear shopping today…" He stuttered, his face turning an even darker shade of red.

**~~~~Rima's POV~~~~**

"A-Amu-chan, please don't!" Nagihiko screamed while clutching on the knob of his mansion's gate.

"Yaya! Rima! Help me get Nadeshiko to let go!" Amu screamed. Yaya immediately dove and grabbed Amu's waist. Together, they tried to pull Nagihiko off the gate.

Their position was awkward and…amusing. Nagihiko was hugging the cold knob with all his might; his feet were being pulled by Amu, whose waist was being clutched by Yaya.

"Rima, help!" Amu cried. Nagihiko immediately turned to me with pleading eyes- eyes that are obviously saying, 'Don't-help-them-PLEASE!'

I snickered then walked to the knob where his hands were anyway.

"Yay, Rima-tan! That's right! Uncurl Naddy's arms!"

I smirked then leaned towards Nagihiko's ears. "Just because I know you're a boy doesn't mean I'm teaming up with you on this. Obviously, I'm with Amu."

Nagihiko's pupils contracted in fear. "R-Rima!" He whined. Annoyance crossed my eyes as I hurriedly unclasped his arms from the knob. "Add an honorific!" I screamed as he fell on top of Amu and Yaya, making a small hole on the snowy ground.

He immediately stood up, his face slightly pink.

"Jeez, Nadeshiko. Why do you hate underwear shopping with us so much? We're all girls!" Amu said. At the 'U' word, Nagihiko flushed and fell over.

I kneeled next to him.

"After today, I shall officially mark you as a pervert…" I chuckled. Nagihiko rolled his eyes then sat up. "Very funny…" He said sarcastically, his breath making a light fog from the low temperature. I snickered then helped him up.

After lots of pleadings (…and sparkle attacks from Amu) Nagihiko finally agreed to follow.

"It's really strange for Nadeshiko to panic. It's just so seldom, right, Rima?" Amu told me. I nodded.

Yaya was ahead of us, eating some lollipop she got from…who knows where. I looked behind me where 'Nadeshiko' supposedly was. Just as I expected though, he was long gone. I stopped then tugged on Amu's skirt, a grin starting to grow on my face. "Where's Nadeshiko?" I asked innocently. All of a sudden, Yaya's eyes flashed.

"Naddy's missing again?"

Amu and I flinched. "Y-yes. It's not that big a deal, though…" I murmured. Yaya went wild anyway. "It's not fair! Naddy's going to ruin all the fun for Yaya all because she's too self-conscious!"

"I say that maybe she's just flat" Amu wondered. I smirked.

"You have no idea…"

* * *

I sat on a bench while sipping some hot chocolate I bought from the café. Amu and Yaya were off searching for Nadeshiko. I'm supposed to be looking right now too but…I don't feel like it.

"Rima…"

I jumped lightly at the voice then turned to its source. Nagihiko.

"You know, you're dead if Yaya finds you" I muttered while sipping on the drink. Nagihiko sweat-dropped then sat next to me. "This is so terrifying" He shuddered. I smirked then grasped his hand, just as Amu and Yaya came around. The eyes of the three widened as I lifted Nagihiko's hand.

"I caught her!" I said in a happy manner. Nagihiko sighed as Amu and Yaya cheered.

Immediately, Amu and Yaya grabbed Nagihiko's arms then pulled him along with them while I, being the slow and not-so-interested-one, followed a little bit far behind.

The three of them went to an abrupt stop at a certain shop.

"We're here!" Yaya beamed, causing Nagihiko to lower his head then groan.

**~~~~…Shop~~~~**

Amu and Yaya scurried through the shop. For some reason, they like the shop. Who gets excited in an undergarment shop? Maybe they're running out…? Maybe that's it.

I sighed.

I must be so underdeveloped. I still wear the garments I've been wearing since I was eleven; that's why I never run out.

Just then, Amu appeared while holding a basket full of bras enough to last for weeks. When she came to us, her eyes were twinkling with joy. "Guess what? I can wear bras now!" She squealed. I smiled. "That's good. You've been worrying about it since our Elementary days" Then I stopped, remembering who was beside me. Since I had a little sympathy, I remained silent.

He's paled enough. I don't know how to do CPR, anyway.

She grabbed both our arms.

"Could you guys help me decide which one I should get? Also, the straps and locks look complicated. Help me figure out how to put it on" She pleaded.

Fear crossed me and Nagihiko's eyes. There is no way cross-dresser will see _my_ best friend when she is…nude?

"I'll help you, Amu. Why not let Nadeshiko go around for awhile?" I said. Nagihiko eagerly nodded in agreement but to our disappointment, Amu clicked her tongue in displeasure. "Well, I was hoping to hear both of your opinions. Besides, maybe you two could actually get along on something then stop fighting!"

Instinctively, I hugged Nagihiko. "I love her! We're friends! See?" I panicked. Nagihiko leaned down then whispered, "Why are _you_ the one getting worked up over this?"

I growled at him. "Aren't _you_ getting worked-up at all, _Pervert_?"

He flinched then hugged me back. Amu just shook her head. "…But I still want to hear two different people's opinions"

"Call Yaya!" We cried in unison.

"…Well, she'd tell me to get the ones with really peppy and childish design that I don't like"

"At least she's a girl!" Nagihiko immediately covered my mouth. Amu cocked her head in confusion. "We're all girls, Rima…"

Nagihiko and I both nodded awkwardly.

**

* * *

**

Nagihiko sat on the chair in the fitting room, facing away from Amu as she changed. I agreed to be the one to help Amu strap the bras with complicated locks. Unfortunately, the first one was the one with the most complicated lock. Sweat rolled down my face as I tried to figure it out.

"Why not ask Nadeshiko for help?" She asked. I shook my head aggressively. "No way. I'll figure this out!"

3 minutes later…

Amu faced the mirror with a light sigh.

"What do you think?" She asked. Nagihiko flushed.

"It's okay…"

"No! It's too showy" I said, trying to act calm. Amu pouted. "Rima's right. It is too showy…"

Nagihiko sighed then went back to not facing Amu.

**

* * *

**

After lots of fittings and awkward comments from Nagihiko, Amu finally bought the garments. Relief washed over Nagihiko and my face until Yaya stopped us with a terrifying question.

"~Nee, Naddy, Rima-tan, what are your cup sizes?"

I knew Nagihiko would be in trouble but I answered anyway, "I don't know. Smaller than A?"

Amu and Yaya raised their brows.

I lightly chuckled when they both turned to Nagihiko.

"What about yours, Na-chi?"

"What's a cup size?" He asked cluelessly. I rolled my eyes.

"It's the size of that part of the bra that holds the breasts" I chanted. Nagihiko paled then forced a cough.

"Well?" Yaya was leaning in. Why does she want to know so much? Does she want to give us bras for Christmas? Nagihiko gulped as he mumbled, "…Zero?"

We blinked in confusion, until Yaya cutely raised her hands. "Nevermind! Who wants snow cone?"

I raised my hand while Nagihiko and Amu gave us skeptical looks.

"…During winter?" Nagihiko was back to his usual know-it-all personality. I scoffed at him. "So? What you do happens to be less normal than eating snow cone during winter" I pointed out. He cringed then finally shut up. I smirked then proudly walked ahead of him...

…That is until Yaya purposely stretched a baby pink bra from her shopping bag, just before my chest, causing a look of amusement to cross Nagihiko's face.

"Hey, Rima-tan! Do you think this is your cup size?" Yaya asked innocently.

I don't want to admit it- I don't want to admit that I just went different shades of red. I've never blushed this much before.

"Y-Yaya!" I screamed.

From behind me, Nagihiko flicked his tongue and said in his syrupy voice, "I don't know, Rima. It actually looks really good. Why not go to school like that?"

"Shut up!" I hissed, glaring at him whilst pushing the bra away.

* * *

***Sigh* I have this feeling that I should probably get back to the plot now. I've got plans for the plot but I'm honestly not sure how to get to it. I want it to be in the latter parts…**

**Anyway, thanks for the reviews! I really appreciate it ^_^  
**


	31. Lost

**Chapter 31**

**Hey, people! Just another chapter with a bit of cheesiness and hints. **

**On with the story!

* * *

**

Honestly. I don't see the point to learning English. _Why_? We have our own language. Yeah, yeah they say it's the universal language but it's not like I plan to live in the States anyway! I groaned then lay face first on the table causing my curls to sprawl all over.

For once, I wish I didn't leave Kusukusu at home. At a time like this, she could be my source to unboredom (If that's even a word)

"Rima, you okay?" Purple-head asked.

"Add an honorific" I grumbled, my voice was muffled by the table. I heard Nagihiko sigh then he was quiet. Nerd probably got back to note-taking…

After awhile, I was drowning out what the teacher was saying. The topic's something about…_redundant_…what the heck is that? The bell FINALLY rang a few minutes later. All of us immediately stood up then walked away before our boring teacher could give us homework.

Since there was no guardian meeting today, I immediately brought out my cell and was about to call my mom when I heard the childish voice of Yaya.

"Rima-tan!"

Her footsteps were coming closer- unusually _fast_ if I may add. Inside, I started to panic, fearing that Yaya's glomp on me this time may cause me to fall to the ground.

"Rima-tan!"

My theory _is_ right. Yaya's glomp on me this time was harder than normal, and it caused the both of us to loll to the ground and my things to scatter. I lightly clenched my teeth. "What do you want, Yaya?" I grumbled. Yaya cocked her head innocently then grinned. "We'll walk you home!"

"…but my ma-"

"No worries!" Yaya brought her phone out. "Yaya already informed Rima-tan's mommy!"

I gaped. Wait. Since whe-…How did she get my mom's number?

"Amu-chi gave Yaya the number to Rima-tan's mama!" She said as if she read my mind. I sighed then stood up (With the help of Nagihiko but you wouldn't want to know that…). "Well, there's a show I want to catch so let's leave _n_ow" I growled.

'_It is a special episode' _I wanted to say that out loud but I couldn't.

Yaya raised her brows. "You have a favorite show, Rima-tan…?"

"Ah yes!" We jumped as Kairi suddenly piped in. He was looking through a notebook and was flipping through the pages with a serious look on his face. "Iinchou?" Yaya, Nagihiko and I said in unison. Kairi narrowed his eyes. "…Iinchou?" He repeated. "You seem like the class president type" I explained. He stared at us in amusement for awhile until he continued to flip through the pages.

"A-anyway, I have the information about you, Queen" He said. I raised my brows in curiosity. "What information?"

He fixed his glasses. "About your favorite show…"

_My eyes widened in panic._

"…According to my data…"

_I ran to him_

"…you happen to like comedy very much"

_I fell. I was SO close to covering his mouth!_

Yaya's mouth fell wide open, and I could tell that if this was a cartoon show her mouth would've already slammed against the ground. Hard.

Nagihiko chuckled to my surprise. "That's…cute…" He said. I felt my figure start to shake.

This is so embarrassing!

"D-don't tell anyone" I pleaded. Yaya was still in a state of shock but Nagihiko and Kairi nodded anyways. I huffed then walked away, hoping that they'd lose track of me. That's a one out of a ten percent chance seeing that I'm so _short_. I turned a very slight tint of red as I tried to walk faster. This is so embarrassing.

"Rima!"

Oh my Kami! Does it hurt him so much to add an honorific?

I tried to ignore him then continued to walk.

"Rima!"

I lightly groaned but continued to walk, slowly gaining pace.

"Rima!"

I felt his warm hands grab me by the arm. I instinctively glared, seeing that stepping on or hitting him would do little damage. With glaring, I could still have bits of my pride.

"You can't walk on your own or your mom will kill us"

I sighed. Why wasn't I expecting that? Why was I expecting him to say some nice, cheesy line? I think I've gone insane. Plus, I'm narrating everything that's happening to imaginary audience in my mind. I am insane to the tenth power!

When I felt his hand loosen, I snapped my arm away. "Are all of you coming?" I asked. Nagihiko thought for awhile…placing his finger on his chin and biting his lower lip in that endearing manner…

I silently sighed.

I've gone insane to the one-hundredth power…

"Amu-chan, Hotori-kun and Souma-kun are. We're too busy with our own hectic schedules. Wait here until the three come" He said, snapping his fingers. I crossed my arms then scoffed. "It's a good thing that you're not coming" I said, although…you know the feeling wherein you say something but at the back of your mind you know you don't mean it? Why do I feel that if I clearly don't like this he-she thing?

Nagihiko did the unusual, un-Nagihiko-like thing. He flipped his hair in a girly manner then said in his high, Nadeshiko-high soprano, "Well, I still have to practice for this Japanese dance my mother wants me to learn. Besides, _someone's_ coming over today…" His eyes started to narrow. I just gaped at him, shaking my head in disbelief. "No one's watching so why are you acting like Nadeshiko…?" I asked. Nagihiko sighed. "I'm just paranoid"

And with that, he walked away. I watched in silence as his figure grew smaller through the distance.

"What did purple-head mean by that…" I mumbled suspiciously.

**

* * *

**

One by one, they came. Tadase was first since he's always early and on time. Why else would he be given the title 'School Prince' if not for his nice, responsible and gentlemanly personality?

Second was Amu. It looks like the watch her parents bought her works like a charm, seeing that she's not the _last_ one.

Of course, Kukai had to come in late, and for the first time, he wore a serious frown.

"What happened to you, Souma-kun?" Tadase asked. Kukai scoffed then placed his arms behind his head. "I ran into this new girl in the cafeteria. I think her name is Chou. Can you believe that she said that there's nothing for me to be proud of, seeing that the ramen I eat is nothing compared to what she can finish?"

Amu, Tadase and I sweat-dropped.

What a lame reason to get mad.

As we continued to walk, Kukai kept rambling on about how much Chou really whacked his ego and some other random stuff. From there, it somehow got to the topic of how nice Nadeshiko is, and how Chou should be more like her (Yeah right!). He kept on rambling and blabbering nonsense until I used my special ability to drown out the things I don't feel like listening to. Finally, the rambling stopped and I guess that Kukai must've finished with his story already. I would guess that it's really good, seeing how Amu and Tadase got really sucked into it.

I should've listened.

You know, I should know when the right time is to use my special ability that took me years of practice.

"…You know, I don't think it's such a good idea to like Fujisaki-san, Souma-kun" I heard Tadase mumbled. Kukai's eyes widened in shock as a very, _very_ light tint of pink made its way to his face.

"S-since when did I say tha-"

"It shows" I cut him off. Kukai twitched slightly before he turned to Tadase.

"N-not that I like her but _if_ I do, why isn't it a good idea?"

Tadase slowly shook his head. "Just…don't"

I snickered slightly at how Tadase scrunched his brows, probably remembering what happened a few months ago. Amu pouted then whispered to me, "What do you think is wrong with Tadase-kun? I think that Nadeshiko and Kukai are a great pairing"

"Same with you and Tadase…or that cat-eared guy"

Amu blushed different shades of red.

"R-Rima!" She cried.

I smirked but it immediately fell when something processed in my mind. I abruptly stopped then looked around.

This entire place looks so…unfamiliar…

The three stopped then turned at me. "Is there something wrong, Mashiro?" Kukai asked. Inside, I was panicking, but I still kept my stoic mask. "Do you guys know where we are…?" I asked emotionlessly.

The three flinched then looked around. Immediately, I felt all the pride slowly fall; my slight smile turning into a grey mask and my pinkish skin turning very pale. Kukai was the first to react. He gave a soft shrug. "Nope. I think we're lost"

Not exactly what I wanted him to say…

I felt my heart beat quicken and my legs begin to wobble. All of a sudden, my traumatic experience flashed before me.

I don't want to be lost.

Mama and papa will get too worried again…

I worked so hard to get them to stop fighting!

I immediately fell to the ground then curled myself into a ball.

I don't want our almost happy family to be pulled apart…

"R-Rima!" Amu ran to me with a worried expression. "Are you okay?"

I knew it was the wrong time to leave the charas at home, all because there's no guardian meeting.

I slowly shook my head. "Mama and papa are going to fight again" I sobbed. Tadase too was soon beside me. He was hesitant- he definitely didn't know how to comfort a sobbing, traumatized, 4 foot girl not that blamed him for it. I never showed any hints of being approachable. Amu was probably the only one who knew what to do.

"It's OK, Mashiro!" Kukai winked.

I blinked at him then slammed my face back into my folded arms. "Go away! At times like these, only Amu knows what to do!"

I gasped lightly as Tadase began to awkwardly pat my back. "We're here for you, Mashiro-san, because we're your friends"

Amu, who was kneeling next to me, stood up then brought her hands out to help me stand. "Don't worry, Rima. We're your friends. We'll do our best and help you find your way back home no matter what it takes. We'll always be there for you…" She gave me a genuine smile.

I smiled back then took her hand and let her help me out. But wait, "…What do you mean by 'You'll help me out'? Aren't you lost too?"

"Yes, but you see Rima, I meant to do that to dramatize and make the readers raise their brows at the cheesiness of what I just said" She replied.

I nodded my head in understanding as I said a soft, "Oh…"

All the while, Tadase and Kukai were already ignoring us and were betting on something; something about a hundred yen and Nadeshiko…

The two noticed the stare we were giving them so they abruptly stopped. "So anyway, let's look for Mashiro…and our…house!" Kukai gave us his oh-so-famous-thumbs-up. I smiled slightly then walked along with them. It was somehow comforting to know that even though you're lost, you have some people to depend on- people that will always be there for you.

The sky's supposedly blue sky was slowly turning into a hue of orange as we walked further into this foreign city. After awhile, we found a bench located under a magnificent cherry blossom tree. Kukai and Amu raced to it while I sighed then slowly dragged myself to the bench. Tadase's face still remained calm, despite the fact that we've probably been hiking for hours.

My friends do realize that I just broke my record of longest distance ever walked, right?

I leaned on the bench, relieved that I finally get to sit down. I watched with slight amusement as Kukai dragged Amu around the trees as Tadase observed a blossom with a peculiar expression. After awhile, Amu wobbled her way next to me with a smile.

"You okay here, Rima?" She asked. I smiled then slowly nodded. "I am. Besides…I like this spot"

Amu smiled. "It's really beautiful, isn't it, especially with the sky all orange!" She moved her hand across, "it smells nice too" She added. I nodded in agreement.

"I like the smell of cherry blossoms. It has the same scent as Nagihiko"

"Huh?" Amu abruptly turned to me, her golden eyes wide with shock and her bubblegum pink hair bouncing at the sudden shift of her head. I gasped slightly at what I blurted out.

"I-it just reminds me. I-it's not like I…like…"

Suddenly, Amu's shocked face was replaced by a huge grin. "It's okay, Rima. According to Miki, it's okay to like many guys at the same time.

I shrieked.

"I don't like anyone!" was my intelligent reply. She smiled wider. "Seriously, Rima, it's okay!"

"But I don't like him!"

"…Well then, you're loyal to Kirishima-kun?"

"Since when were we even together?"

Amu was about to reply when suddenly, a dark blur zipped from the tree, and stopping just right before Amu. When it landed, it turned out to be Ikuto (I seem to remember his name…). He had a smirk planted across his face as he gazed at Amu, who was now blushing different shades of red.

"I-Ikuto!" She gasped. The boy stood straight then said, "…So you say that it's okay to like many guys at the same time, hmm, Amu?"

Amu flushed. "It was from my chara. B-besides, it's not like I like anyone!"

"You're beginning to sound just like me" I pointed out. Amu sighed, her blush still intact. "A-anyway, why are you here?" She stuttered. Ikuto smirked.

"I happen to come at the best time all the time, right?"

"Or maybe you were just stalking her" I suggested. The boy turned to me, then at Amu. "Your friends are so amusing, Amu"

She frowned.

Just then, I heard a familiar voice call out, "It's you!" although the voice's tone isn't as sweet and gently as it normally is. This time, it was furious and had an edge to it. Amu and I turned around, only to catch Tadase speeding towards us with Kukai right behind (…looking absolutely clueless, if I may add)

"Kiddy-king…" Ikuto smirked. Tadase narrowed his eyes then growled, "Why are you here…?"

Ikuto's tail twitched slightly. "I go wherever the tail points, and for some odd reason, it always leads me to Amu and it appears that you kids are in a bit of a mishap"

"Yeah, well, we are. Think you can help us find out way back?" Kukai asked. I sighed, seeing how Kukai doesn't even know how serious things are starting to get. Ikuto smiled slightly then walked towards Amu, causing Tadase to grit his teeth.

"…Only if Amu pleads for my help"

Amu bushed while Tadase narrowed his eyes some more.

"N-n-n-no way, Ikuto!" Amu stuttered.

"Stop it. You aren't the only ones lost here" I turned my gaze to Ikuto then pointed an accusing finger at him. "Help us find our way since you're supposed to be a responsible adult!" I spat.

Everyone turned silent as they stared at me. Why, though? I _am_ making sense…right?

Finally, Ikuto sighed. "Alright. I'll walk you kids home"

He said, making his way to Amu's left side. Tadase then quickly made his way to her right.

"…Just in case Tsukiyomi tries to steal your Humpty lock, Amu –chan" He lied. I groaned then turned to Kukai. "I hate it when Ikuto comes when Tadase is around. He always steals Amu from me" I said. Kukai sighed.

"…Well, to like someone is really, really mysterious, so I think that the two of us are just naïve"

"I beg to differ. I am most definitely not naïve"

* * *

"Rima!" Mama cried as she ran to me as I stood at the front gate. Behind me, Amu, Tadase, Kukai and Ikuto stood with guilty faces.

"What took you so long?" She asked. I clicked my tongue. "Y-you see…we got lost…" I said. Mama's eyes started to narrow. "Are you kids okay?" She called my friends. They nodded

"It's okay! Ikuto helped u…" Amu trailed off. I turned, only to see that the boy was no longer there. Amu's brows creased. "That boy…" She mumbled. Tadase also had his brows creased, before he bowed his head, his face filled with a mixture of emotions.

After awhile, they left, claiming that they knew their way around from there.

When I went in, I was more than glad to see two plates and a meal on our table. I felt my eyes slightly twinkle in excitement. "I was worried, Rima…" Mama admitted. I sighed happily then turned to her. "I'm okay, mama" I smiled. She smiled back at me.

"Well…eat up, dear. I hope you like the katsudon I made"

_As long as no baking was done to make this_

When I tasted it, though, it was decent.

"By the way, Rima…" She started. I looked at her, my mouth full of breaded meat.

"…If you were lost, why didn't you or your friends just ask someone to pick you up since you all had your phones with you, anyway?"

I nearly choked.

How come I didn't think of that? Seriously!


	32. Checkup

**I didn't update for how many weeks? Anyway I did promise that I'll finish this story, but what I couldn't promise is the speed of my update. Anyway, it was our finals and I had to review…a lot. The sad thing is the tests were still hard TT_TT**

**Anyway, after not updating for so long, I hope that you enjoy this chapter ^_^**

**Chapter 32

* * *

**

A car ride with my mom to school…

I always detested the idea. For years, I always hated riding in a car with either of my parents because of the aura they gave off. They were silent, but I could feel them cursing in their mind about each other.

Today, though, the ride with my mom to school is filled with laughter and smiles. I even decided take the seat next to her. She told me about how she couldn't get over the cream puff incident, and about how she's going to take baking class on weekends. I would smile at this, and before I knew it, I was in front of Seiyo High's gate.

Mama gave me a genuine smile and a soft pat on the head before driving off while I waved goodbye.

* * *

I walked the halls of Seiyo with a light smile. I miss this feeling.

When I entered the room, I sat on my seat then unconsciously greeted Nagihiko. He slowly turned to me then forced a smile. "My, my, Rima. You're in a good mood today" He said. I grinned.

"Well, yeah I was until you said my name without an honorific. Now I am forced to have this frown on my face" I grumbled, whilst turning my grin into a frown. Nagihiko chuckled, causing my stomach to churn…though it's not like I like him. It only churned because…of some reason.

Nikaidou walked into the class, a pile of books in hand. Everyone in class laughed as he attempted to sit on the chair, only to miss it and fall to the ground, causing the books to scatter. I rolled my eyes. This is getting too cliché. Whenever he walks in, there's always an accident. I turned my gaze at Nagihiko, only to have my brows creased when I saw Nagihiko staring out the window with a stoic expression. I've never seen him this serious before.

"…Mashiro-san!" Nikaidou called out. I snapped my head then looked at him. He was smiling giddily, although I could tell that it's fake. He was masking a smile to hide some expression- anger…guilt, probably? Whatever it was, it slightly scared me, and I don't think anyone in class noticed since he was looking directly at me. Nagihiko was too absorbed in his own thoughts (He even let out a sigh) to notice what's going on, causing me to worry.

"Mashiro-san, I have a new seat arrangement for you" Nikaidou widened his unreal smile. This time, it looked more mischievous than the previous one, and the hidden expression started to get stronger.

I would think that I'm just being insane to suspect this giddy teacher of something evil, but Kusukusu whimpered and then hid in her egg which was located in the pocket of my bag.

Nikaidou pointed at the seat next to Yamamoto Ai, a girl in class who had her brown hair in two long pig-tails. I gazed at the red-haired boy beside her. _Fuyuki Kirishima_. The boy that can slightly makes me blush.

"Mashiro-san, from now on, you will be sitting next to Yamamoto-san; away from Fujisaki"

I glared at him suspiciously. "Why?" I asked. His shut his eyes then attempted to smile once more. Why is he even trying? I can tell that it's not real!

"…Well, you seem to always be distracted in class. Also, Chou…" He turned to Chou, and she nodded. "I want you to sit beside Mashiro-san in the new seat I'm assigning her to…" Chou sighed, grabbed her bag then hurriedly made her way to the seat.

Well, at least Ai is normal. For once in Seiyo, I'll actually be talking to someone normal; that is, if I will be talking to my seatmate to be. I sighed then slowly gathered my things as I made my way to the desk. My fanboys in the seat I used to sit in sulked while the boys in the seat I'm about to sit in silently celebrated.

I groaned as I lay my head in my arms, but this time, I did not drown out what Nikaidou was saying. He was discussing normally- something about _pi_- but there was something different about him today. After awhile, I was starting to drown out what he was saying again as I focused more on his features and movements.

"Rima…" Kusukusu started with a trembling voice. Her egg was only slightly cracked as her head was only poking through the gap. "…Nikaidou-sensei can see charas, and I can feel an x egg energy in him" she finished. I quietly gasped, causing Chou to look at me. "What are you gasping about?"

The sun's ray glinted in her glasses, giving her a very nerdy demeanor, but I could tell that behind the shaded glasses, her eyes were narrowed. I shrugged then pretended to take notes. "Is it bad to be interested in math?" I lied.

She cocked her head. "Seriously?"

Kusukusu floated to my ear then whispered, "Don't be fooled, Rima! Chou can see charas! I can sense eggs with her; two, actually!"

I bit my lip in anxiety. Things are starting to get weird. All of a sudden, Nikaidou's aura is changing and as for Chou…well…she's always been mysterious. Anyway, that's not the point. If she can she charas, not to mention _has_ charas, why would she hide it?

After an hour of discussion, it was homeroom period. Again, Nikaidou is the teacher. Doesn't it tire him to be our homeroom and math teacher at the same time?

"Class, I have an announcement to make. Tomorrow will be your physical check-up. Boys, I want you to transfer to room 208 while girls stay in this room" Then Nikaidou narrowed his eyes at Nagihiko, causing him to slightly flinch.

"Fujisaki-san, you can't cancel it this time. You have to attend it or the school will have no choice but to expel you since there's this new, contagious disease is spreading and we need to do this check-up regularly"

Nagihiko paled while I bit my lip in anxiety.

Expel…

_Expel…_

The word kept echoing in my mind. The very thought of Nagihiko- my rival to Amu's friendship, being expelled, caused me to panic. Why, though? If he's out of the way, I'll have Amu all to myself.

"B-but sensei, my family has a trip to go to. It's a _must_!" He lied. Nikaidou sighed.

"So is this…"

Then he continued to discuss, leaving me and Nagihiko in our trail of thoughts.

Why is this really necessary? Nagi-err-_Nadeshiko_ has really good grades! How can the school make this a rule?

At that very moment, the bell rang. I hurriedly gathered my things then brisk-walked towards Nagihiko. "What are you going to do?" I asked. He flinched then looked away. "Well, I think I know how to get through this"

"You can't sweet talk yourself out of this!" I yelped. He sighed. "I know what I'm going to do"

"You are not going to get surgery, right…?" I said, slightly panicked. His eyes widened. "No way!"

I let a breathed a sigh of relief. "What are you gonna do, though?"

Nagihiko shrugged. "…I'll just do something about this, Rima-chan. When was I wrong?" He playfully pat my head. I glared at him, but he didn't seem to mind. After awhile, the classroom was nearly empty. Notice how I said _nearly_? Well, I heard soft, shy footsteps making its way near us. When Nagihiko and I turned, we were greeted by Kirishima. He immediately bowed his head.

"Fujisaki-san, I'm sorry!" He cried. Nagihiko raised his brows while I mentally face-palmed. Now's not actually the best time…

"Eh? What are you apologizing for, Kirishima-kun?" He asked. Kirishima gulped then looked at me.

"I want to gain your forgiveness, Fujisaki-san, because I back-stabbed you before"

A slight smile crept its way to Nagihiko's face as he, too bowed his head, causing his high ponytail to fall across his head. "You're forgiven. Also, I apologize for what my brother did. He told me about what he did. He shoved a cake into your face"

Kirishima chuckled at the memory. "S-sure"

Then both stood straight then shook hands.

"By the way, my brother would like to challenge you to another game of basketball" Nagihiko giggled. At this, Kirishima's eyes flashed.

"He's a tough opponent. Tell him to meet me in the park!"

"Hai!" Nagihiko cried sweetly, but when Kirishima was out of sight, his eyes started to aflame. "Oh it's on…" he grumbled, making his way towards his 'house'. "You want to follow, Rima-chan?" He turned to me with a smile. I shook my head. "I don't really want to watch basketball…" I said. His face dropped, but he forced a smile anyway.

"Okay, then. See you tomorrow" He took a few steps back. I bit my lip. "You'd better not get expelled…" I said under my breath, almost in a low, mysterious whisper. He nodded then pat me in the head, before waving at me then slowly making his way on the opposite direction.

I blinked three times before letting out a little sigh.

"…Rima, you spoke normally to Nagi without throwing in insults!" Kusukusu giggled. I rolled my eyes as I made my way home.

I walked through the open, crowded sidewalks of the neighborhood. A soft breeze passed through me, making my hair get in my way and be all annoying. After awhile, I was walking through a park. The ground was wet from all the snow from before. "…Winter's almost over…?" I asked myself. I never seemed to check on the calendar.

"Um…hello. May I please ask for directions? I need to go to Seiyo High and I saw you in the uniform, so…"

I turned around, only to meet the gaze of a girl around my age. She had hazel eyes and brown, wavy hair. Around her neck was a pink scarf, which she would constantly use to hide her quivering lips. "My name is Hanawa Mei and I'm…kind of lost…" She admitted. Being in the good mood, I smiled at her.

"Just go past that street then turn right. You'll see a hill going up. On top of it is the school" I said. She bowed, thanked me, then hurriedly made her way.

"She's nice" Kusukusu commented. I continued to walk. "She is" I replied.

When I made it back home, it was empty. I locked the doors then hurried to the kitchen, where I found a little note.

_Rima,_

_I still have work today. Food's in the oven if you want to eat._

_Love,_

_Mom_

Well, she's still busy, despite our better relationship. I looked out the window then sighed. I guess I could skip dinner. I'm too lazy to prepare food, anyway…

The night was longer than normal, so I tried to sleep early but I couldn't. I kept on tossing around in my bed, not really sure why I was so anxious. After a few hours of not getting any good dreams, though, I came to the conclusion that I'm curious about what Nagihiko will do about tomorrow. You can't blame me for it, can you? It's not my fault Fujisaki really annoys me!

I grumbled something then turned to the other side of the bed.

The next day, I woke up with very scattered thoughts.

Groggily, I got ready for class then walked to school, seeing that my mom was out for the night. I must've been brainless for most of the time, because when I looked at the clock, I was THIRTY minutes late! I ran. Oh, by the way, I'm a terrible runner.

After crashing into around three walls and slipping in the hallways for around ten times, I finally made it to the classroom.

"I'm here!" I gasped. Nikaidou narrowed his eyes at me.

I ignored his glare then looked around for Nagihiko. He was chatting with a bunch of girls rather…calmly.

I scooted next to him, but he and the girls he was chatting with were too engrossed to even notice me.

"Anyway, did you girls see that new tank top?" He squealed. I felt my eyes widen. WHY would Nagihiko talk about tank tops?

The two other girls- one of them being Ai, eagerly nodded. "There's also this really cute mini skirt I saw!"

He laughed then flipped his hair.

Nagihiko…is acting…GIRLY. What the hell? What happened to him when I was panicking all night?

"N-Nadeshiko…?" I whispered, but the other girls heard me. They stiffened at the sight of me. "O-oh! Mashiro-san!"

Nagihiko scanned me. After awhile, he gasped. "I-it's you!" He said. I raised my brows as the two girls reluctantly walked away. "What about me?" I asked. Nagihiko thought for a moment before shaking his head. "Oh, it's…nothing…"

I sat next to him then started to examine him. "So what do you plan to do?" I asked.

"...Well, I plan to go on a diet because I think I gained a few weight. Also, there's this guy I've been wanting to get..."

Nagihiko wants to _get_ a guy? Did it ever occur to him that _guys _are supposed to be dating _girls_? You're not supposed to be dating someone of the same gender!

"You okay, miss?" He asked.

Do I look okay? What's with Nagihiko today?

"Fujisaki!" The nurse called. He gave me an awkward smile before standing up. "I have to go to my check-up…miss"

I stared in pure shock as I watched Nagihiko disappear through the curtain.

Did he just call me…miss…?

More importantly, WHAT is he planning to do?

The check-up involves the removal of the blouse! What will he do about it?

_Does he plan to tell everyone his secret?_

_Does he want to go to school as a regular boy?_

"Mashiro-san, the nurse is ready for you"

I skid past Nikaidou then went through the curtain. "Can you sit here please?" The nurse said. I sat down on the chair.

...Nagihiko's mother looked strict. Also, he's not the type to _not_ obey. Yesterday, he told me to trust him. Why can't he just tell me what he plans to do? It kept me thinking all night! Is his plan to just…_expose himself and get it all over with?_

_NO!_ That is definitely wrong!

"_Please remove your blouse"_

_"Okay"  
_

Seriously! What's that boy up to? He's being completely out-of-character!

The nurse continued to check me up. It's ironic, how I felt nauseous during a check-up. "Are you alright, Mashiro-san?" The nurse asked me worriedly. I nodded, stood up then buttoned my blouse. "C-can I go now?"

I didn't even wait for her reply. I hastily left the room in search of Nagihiko. Surprisingly, I found him with the same bunch of girls. He never showed any hint of interest in those two before. I strut my way to him, and then I growled. Ai and Hatsuka (the other girl) gulped then left. An annoyed face crossed Nagihiko's face but he immediately covered it up with a fake smile.

"I need to speak with you" I hissed. He flinched but gave space anyway.

"How'd the check-up go?" I asked. He shrugged then giggled. "It was fine. The nurse said I grew a cup size"

I gawked.

"You DON'T even know what a cup size is!" I screeched. He paled then forced a cough. "Well, I do now"

"You DON'T have a cup-size" I said, almost in a whisper.

I grabbed his hand then brought him out, ignoring his complains about this being cutting classes. I walked through the hallways, passing by the other classrooms then stopped at the school garden. I sat on a bench with him then sighed.

"What's up with you today? Don't tell me that you're on drugs!" I cried. He raised his brows then stood up. "Listen, miss. I don't know what this is about, nor do I know what you're talking about. Now, I will be making my way back to the classroom whether you like it or not!"

He brisk-walked.

"Y-you normally say my name. Why'd you say 'miss'?"

He ignored me then continued to walk. I saw red then screamed,

"_Nagihiko_, will you tell me what's going on?"

Suddenly, he stopped. Even though I can't see his face, I could still see his back stiffen. "N-Nagihiko…?" He repeated.

He's not using his real voice- even if we're alone. He turned around then sat beside me. "What do you know about me…?"

Okay…this is honestly freaking me out. What's with him today? W-who is this…?

"Well?"

He made his eyes widen-…wait. His eyes are different. Nagihiko's are big and brown- slightly innocent with a little hint of a playboy personality. _This _eye is different. When I look at it closer, it's a lighter shade of brown- almost hazel. Also, the eyes are…narrower and very...striking.

"Who are you?" I asked. He flinched, then after awhile, answered, "I'm Nadeshiko"

"No"

I narrowed my eyes at the impostor.

Finally, _it_ sighed. "Well, there's no point lying sine you already know"

In one swift movement, _she _pulled off her violet hair and brown, wavy, medium length hair bounced in its place instead. I gawked then blinked three times. This _isn't_ Nagihiko, and for a second, I feared that everything I've been through was just a dream…

…but then again, maybe this is the dream.

"Remember me? I'm Hanawa Mei- the girl you helped out yesterday"

Wait. That's right!

"…Also…"

I leaned in, eager to hear more.

"…I'm Nagihiko's fiancé"


	33. Oh it is on!

**Chapter 33**

**I'm sure you guys wouldn't want to read such a long author's note so I'll just say, "On with the story!" ^_^

* * *

**

"_I'm Nagihiko's fiancé" _

When she said that, something inside me snapped. Thoughts whizzed in my head, and they were too fast for me to even for me to point out. Nagihiko's fiancé…

I did not see that coming…

"O-oh…" I whispered. I forced my lips to curl upwards as an attempt to smile.

"Do you like him…?" My voice sounded dark and mysterious. I started to pull at the hem of my skirt. Why do I feel like this all of a sudden? It's stupid!

"Yes. Very"

Then Mei narrowed her eyes as she looked (Cough* _GLARED_) at me. "What are you to him?"

I flinched. What am I to him…? _What am I to him…?_

"…I'm his rival" I intertwined my fingers, "…his…rival to Amu's friendship…" Silence ensured. I bit my lips in anxiety while Mei started to grin. After awhile, she looked at me with flashing eyes.

"Well, I'm glad that you feel nothing for him. Don't tell, but I really, really like him" then she paused then narrowed her eyes at me. "You don't like him, right…?"

I don't like this girl.

What kind of question is that? I only consider Nagihiko as a friend- _slash_- rival. Nothing more…

"I…don't…"

For some odd reason, the words I said felt foreign.

…but it's obviously not a lie…right…?

Mei cheerily stood up then held her hands out. "I like you. Hey, since you now know my secret, can I ask for a big favor?"

Is she trying to be my friend? Because I still prefer Amu.

"What is that?" I felt my eyes twitch. She laughed excitedly before flipping her hair, causing her brown, wavy curls to bounce. "Do you think you can find out how he feels about me?" Then she shrugged. "We were childhood friends, anyway. There's a big chance for the both of us. Don't tell him I told you, but I'm the one who taught him how to act like a girl; the traits of a girl, how girls react to stuff, what kind of guys a girl considers _hot_. Heck, he even copies my voice. Notice how similar my voice is to Nadeshiko's?"

I started to shift uncomfortably as my breathing began to quicken at an irregular manner. "N-no. I'd rather not" Was my intelligent reply. Mei blinked at me before pouting. "What? But midget, wouldn't you like Nagikins to be happy?"

I was mentally screaming. Can't she stop talking about Nagihiko as if he likes her back? How is she so sure?

Then again, what if he _does_ like her?

For some odd reason, the thought caused me to stir. Normally, my mind would think of what to say, then my mouth would follow, but now, some strange, mysterious force started to build up inside me. I took a deep breath before giving Mei an intense glare.

"For all I know, maybe Nagihiko is just being _forced_ to marry you!" I spat. She stared at me in shock while I clenched my fists. It took me awhile to process what I just said, and when I did, my eyes widened. Embarrassed at what I just said, I hurriedly walked away, my bangs covering my face.

* * *

I heaved a sigh as I made my way to the classroom. By now, the checkup is probably over. Kusukusu floated next to me, eyes filled with sympathy. "Rima, are you okay…?" She asked, her voice quivering. I blinked then look at her.

"Yes! Of course I am! In fact, I feel great- Never been better!" I forced a smile. Kusukusu didn't buy it. She flew to my left shoulder then sat.

I slowly let my smile drop, a miserable expression replacing it.

"I'm here…" I mumbled as I entered the classroom. No one seemed to notice that I was gone, though, and the checkup _is_ already over, seeing that the chairs were neatly arranged and there were _boys_ roaming around in the classroom. I sat on my seat.

"You okay, Mashiro-san?" I felt a hand brush against my arm. I looked at my left and saw Kirishima gazing at me. Why does everyone keep asking me that? Why would I not be alright?

"Yes" I said simply. He nodded then sat next to me. Some of my fanboys filled with range at the sight but the girls simply 'aww'ed.

"…Just don't be afraid to approach me if you want to talk about something" He said. I let a slight smile crack through my lips. "Thanks, although there's nothing to talk about"

…Was there…?

I felt eyes boring into me. I turned, only to see that Nadeshiko impostor standing by the doorway. She watched me and Kirishima's little exchange in amusement, and then she smirked then hurriedly made her way towards us. "You two should really get together, nee! You'd make an _adorable_ couple!" Then she started to play with Kirishima's hair. Kirishima flinched then backed away.

"Fujisaki-san?"

Mei shrugged. "I was just wondering how that spiky hair of yours felt. Surprisingly, it's soft!" She cooed.

I groaned then walked away.

Mei is a flirt. What an idiot. Maybe she's also simply flirting with Nagihiko? Maybe she didn't have true feelings for him...

…

…

…

Why is it even my concern?

* * *

From the back seat, I watched Mei with mild interest. For some reason, I quickly noticed how different she is from Nagihiko. First of all, Nagihiko _does not_ doodle during math class. Second, he didn't look this dull and boring whenever he put a strand of hair behind his ear. Third of all, he bites his lower lip in an endearing way when deep in thought; he _does not_ pull on his marvelous hair like Mei does on that wig!

Actually, it's normally so interesting to watch him. Now, though, it's like I'm being _forced_ to watch that impostor.

"Great. I'm sounding like a stalker…" I grumbled. Ai looked at me, her emerald eyes flashing with bewilderment. It looked like she was sucking in a lot of courage before she finally asked, "Nee, Mashiro-san, I was wondering if Kirishima-kun and you are going out…"

I stared at her.

"No" I said icily. She lightly shrieked then turned away from me. This is why some people fear me despite my small and adorable frame.

I didn't even bother to stay put. The second the bell rang, I hastily gathered my things then headed out the door. I looked through the hallways, hoping to find a wave of bubblegum pink hair.

I found Amu seated on the bench with Tadase beside her. Just like always, her face was tomato red as they chat.

"Amu!" I cried, happily making my way to her. She beamed. "Oh, hi, Rima! Hey, remember yesterday when we were lost? Turns out we had our phones the whole time!" She chuckled. I nodded. "I know"

Then, I felt an utterly deathly presence beside me. "Oh hey, Amu-chan!" Mei squealed. Amu smiled. "Nadeshiko! Are you and Rima getting along now?" She asked. Tadase stood then walked to Amu's side while Mei smirked. "Of course…"

Since she was beside me, I heard Mei mutter something under her breath; something along the lines of, "Hinamori Amu…girl he likes...you…going down…"

I lightly gasped, went to Amu then clutched the sleeves of her blazer. "Amu, there's something I want to show you" I said, hastily pulling her away from that Nadeshiko wannabe. If what she said about being Nagihiko's friend is true, then she'd know that he likes Amu (It is pretty obvious once you find out that he's a boy)

Now, being the malicious burriko that she is, she's probably planning something terrible for Amu.

Amu stopped dead in her tracks when we heard a familiar voice of a girl giggle, "Amu-chan, I have a request. Stop cutting out horse's tail and then gluing it to your head! Is that greasy, pink mane of yours even natural?"

I felt Amu's hand fall limp as she abruptly turned to 'Nadeshiko'. "What did you say…?" She trailed off. Tadase's eyes were wide as he stared at Mei disbelievingly. I mentally face-palmed then tugged on Amu's sleeve. "H-She didn't say anything, Amu! Now let's go!"

"I said that your greasy, pink hair looks like a horse's tail"

"Oh shut up!" I screamed at Mei. She narrowed her eyes at Amu.

"I am completely tired of having to _act_ like your friend"

With a devious smirk, she left us. Amu fell to the ground, her eyes wide with shock. Tadase immediately ran to her. "Amu-chan, she didn't mean to…" The he turned to me with a knowing look. "Mashiro-san, do you know what's with Fujisaki-kun today?" He whispered. I narrowed my eyes then whispered back, quietly so that Amu wouldn't hear, "…that isn't Nagihiko…"

…I couldn't tell Amu that it isn't 'Nadeshiko' though, because she'll be suspicious.

"Amu-chan, that wasn't Nadeshiko"

I sweat-dropped then turned to Tadase with an 'ARE-YOU-PLANNING-TO-SPILL-HIS-SECRET' look. He replied with an 'I-know-what-I'm-doing' look.

"…That wasn't Nadeshiko. It was her over-protective…" He trailed off, thinking.

"…friend!" I cut in.

"…and she doesn't know how to deal with Fujisaki-san's friends" Tadase finished. Amu looked up- her eyes slightly glassy and quivering. "Then…why is she taking over as Nadeshiko then?" She whimpered. I thought hard.

Well, I could always tell the half-truth…

"Nadeshiko has an important play today but she also can't skip the checkup or else she'll be expelled" that is a white lie. Amu wiped some tear drops away with her finger, frowned then stubbornly crossed her arms.

"Well, whoever this girl is, I don't like her" She grumbled.

**The next day**

The sunrays went through my window and then shone on my eyes. I groaned then stirred in my bed, refusing to give in to the sun but _no_! The annoying sun just had to win and force me awake! I groggily looked at my alarm clock.

…Am I reading this right? I couldn't possibly be an hour late for class, right?

I squinted my eyes. 8:30…8:30…

"I'm an hour lat for class!" I screamed, hurrying to my closet and quickly changing into my uniform. I had no time to brush my messy curls but I managed to brush my teeth because coming to school with morning breath is just…just…_gross_!

I slammed my door open then hurried down the stairs with loud, _'thud' 'thud'_ noises. I almost fell off more than twice but I always managed to hold onto the railings just in time. When I got down, I immediately headed for the refrigerator then got a large muffin, a cookie, a box of pocky…

…and a cherry (just to be healthy) Then I stuffed them all in my bag- for breakfast. I dashed through the living room but stopped midway when I noticed my mom sleeping on the couch. In her hand, she held a baking book. I smiled then whispered, "Good morning, mama" before twisting the door knob and heading out.

As I was running to school, I couldn't help but hear soft, splashy noises with every step I took, and little droplets falling on me. It took me awhile to realize that I was running through the rain, and my already messy curls were getting messier.

What happened to the annoying sun that forced me awake?

"Rima-chan!"

The voice slightly shocked me. I turned around and saw Nagihiko. Although he was in his Nadeshiko attire, he still had his hair hanging down, making it sway with his every step.

"Nagihiko!" He, and even I, was taken aback by my tone. I sounded…happy to see him; almost…excited.

"Despite the fact that you're late and being drenched in the rain, you still sound glad, Rima-chan" He said. I crossed my arms then started mumbling incoherent words. He chuckled then grabbed my hand, somehow causing my face to warm up.

"Anyway, we need to get us out of this rain. You ready?"

I was about to answer, 'Ready for what?' but I felt my entire weight lift. Nagihiko brought me to his back so he was giving me a piggy-back ride then he raced through the rain. I was screaming, telling him to slow down (because it would be so awkward if we slipped because the sidewalks were quite slippery and wet) but he just kept on nagging about how terrible it would be if we got sick. After multiple attempts to get down or telling him to slow down, I finally gave up.

I found myself leaning against his back, his silky hair on my cheeks and my arms draped around his shoulder. We must've currently been a funny sight; two girly-looking girls in miniskirts, one giving the other a piggy-back ride.

A thought suddenly flashed through my mind and it caused me to narrow my eyes. Wouldn't Mei, Nagihiko's _fiancé_, be mad to see _her guy_ giving the girl whose name she doesn't even know a piggy-back ride?

"~Nee, Nagihiko…" I started. "…I met this girl named Mei disguised as Nadeshiko yesterday during the checkup. Do you like her…?" I asked.

"Yes. She's a good friend" He shrugged. I felt my eyes twitch. He likes her. He likes her. He_ likes_ that _ridiculous, vein-popping, exasperating, mad, evil, smutty, slutty burriko-ish, Nadeshiko-wannabe thing?_

I CANNOT see what he sees in her! I mean, she's so arrogant and annoying!

"Oh" I muttered.

He let go of me when we were already in the building.

"I can't believe I overslept" Nagihiko sighed, shaking his head.

"…You were probably too busy hanging out with your fiancé" I spoke softly so he couldn't hear. Wet and untidy, Nagihiko and I made our way to the classroom, staining the paths we passed with rain water. When we got in, the entire class fell silent.

I mean, after all, not only is _the_ Nadeshiko Fujisaki late again. She's also soaked and muddled.

"I'm sorry we're late, sensei. You see, there were this bunch of guys who were trying to kidnap us" He lied.

More silence.

"…So…are we excused?" I snapped. The teacher blinked. "Y-you almost got kidnapped?"

Nagihiko shrugged. "Yes"

More silence.

"Then you are excused"

Nagihiko and I exchanged looks, chuckled then made our way to our seats. The teacher awkwardly started to discuss…something about the _pi_ thing again. Math class ended quickly since we came in late. Now, it was homeroom period. Nikaidou walked in, once again, causing me to be all suspicious and stuff.

"Everyone, I have an announcement to make!" He said.

I glared at him. Even if he's smiling right now, I still find him suspicious…

"…It's funny, how we're getting a lot of transfer students this year!"

I sighed. Seriously? _Another_ transfer student?

Everyone in class starter to whisper things amongst themselves, but seeing that I had no one close by to speak with, I remained silent. I honestly didn't care. It's pretty normal to have a transferee. Why does everyone fuss about it so much? I don't see the point of getting worked-up over it. Why does it matter if it's a boy or a girl? Seriously…

"Her name is Hanawa Mei"

"What?" I screamed, suddenly feeling worked-up. Everyone in class fell silent then looked at me. Even Nagihiko. I bowed my head, embarrassed. "C-carry on…" I mumbled. Nikaidou faked a smile. "Well then, please come in, Mei-san!"

Sparkles started to emit through the door and all the boys gawked at her radiance. Her legs were perfect and her eyelashes were long and curled. Her long, brown, wavy hair flowed along with the wind, as if it knew of her beauty and was adding the effect…

…Just kidding. She's not a mary-sue.

Mei walked into the class like a normal student would then smiled sweetly. _Ugh_. It's _that_ look! _That_ innocent look she had on the first time we met. I fell for that look and thought that she was nice and all.

I was wrong.

"Everyone, her name is Hanawa Mei. Mei, please say 'hi' to everyone!" Nikaidou said. She cocked her head to the side. "Hi!"

…and then, Nikaidou said something that would cause me to hate him forever. "Please sit beside Fujisaki-san!"

I'm not sure if I'm the only one that noticed, but I really think that I saw Mei's eyes twinkle in excitement. "Okay, sensei!" She cooed. Nikaidou smiled, his eyes almost screaming, 'Finally; a nice transferee!'. When she got to her seat, the first thing she did (obviously) was to play with Nagihiko's long, untied locks of violet hair. Something inside of me snapped. Why, though?

I mean…all she's doing now is fiddling her fingers with his…

…now she's trying to talk to him while he tried to listen to the teacher…

…now she's pouting…

_SNAP_

She managed to make him chuckle…

I clenched my fists.

W-why aren't they being scolded for having PDA?

…oh yes. They think that Nagihiko's a girl…

**Recess**

"Aww! That girl is cute and all but I was expecting someone like Rima-sama!" I heard one of the boys sigh.

"No! You know, I heard that she's incredibly rich! Someone told me that she went to school in a hummer, and a butler helped her out!"

"No way!"

I closed my eyes as I tried to drown out my classmate's gossip then I took a bite of my blueberry-flavored pocky.

"Hello, Rima"

I turned away from the voice with a light growl. Even though I couldn't see his face, I could already imagine it flood with confusion. "Why are you so mad at me all of a sudden?" It asked. I swallowed my pocky then glared at him. "I've always been mad at you, Nagihiko. There's honestly no difference to how I treat you now compared to before; also, add an honorific to my name"

He looked at me then sighed.

"I just wanted to invite you to go ice skating with me this weekend"

I crossed my legs. "Is Amu coming?"

"No, but Hanawa-san is."

_SNAP_

"Sure. I'll be there…"


	34. An oblivious Nagihiko!

**Chapter 34**

**I know that I haven't updated in awhile, but I was incredibly busy. It's been…two update-less weekends, I think…? **

**Okay, I know that you probably won't care about my reasons, but I was on the beach, and I still had lots of homework. I brought the homework so I could work on it there, and the plans were so hectic. Also, I couldn't update because finals are coming and I don't want to take summer class! _**

**Anyway, on with the story! ^_^

* * *

**

I never thought that I'd live to see it- an _oblivious_ Nagihiko.

Around me, he's an annoying know-it-all that won't stop lecturing me. However, when it comes to Mei being flirty with him, he doesn't notice. He DOESN'T notice!

Something kept me from leaving the classroom. Class is over and I normally leave right after the bell. Plus, I also have to attend the guardian's meeting right after. Mei, Nagihiko and I are the only ones in the classroom- me being in my seat now far back while Mei was continuously clinging unto Nagihiko as she leaned towards him…

Closer…

And closer…

_SNAP_

I hate that burriko.

"Is there any problem with the dance, Nagihiko?" She smiled. Nagihiko bowed his head innocently.

"Well, I don't really get the hand movements"

"Well then, I'll help you practice for the dance, Nagi-kun!" Mei giggled, as she put her weight in one leg while she leaned on Nagihiko's table.

Nagihiko smiled at her.

_SNAP_

"Thanks, Hanawa-san!"

_SNAP SNAP SNAP!_

I trudged towards the pair and then cutely tugged on the sleeves of Nagihiko's blazer. "_Nadeshiko_, I need help with the new math lesson. I'm just saying, though." I pouted. Nagihiko smiled at me then nodded his head.

"I'll help you out, Rima!"

From beside me, I felt daggers being shot at me. I turned to Mei with a forced smile.

"Is there something you'd like?" I said in a syrupy voice. Mei swallowed before forcing a smile of her own. She made her way to Nagihiko then twirled a strand of his hair.

WHY can't he notice that she's hitting on him?

"No. Not really…" Then she leaned into him.

"Nagi-kun, another thing you should know about girls is that they want attention…" She said. Nagihiko blinked before turning to her. My face fell while a smirk made its way to her face- her _disgusting_ and annoying face!

"What kind of attention?" He asked. Mei smirked while I reluctantly turned away from him.

"Well…to be talked to, to be asked questions…to be complimented…"

I groaned then hastily walked off, not even sure what I'm supposed to be headed for. Kusukusu was following, muttering words of comfort.

Suddenly, I felt a hand grab my arms. I gasped before turning back, only to come face to face with Nagihiko. Instinctively, I narrowed my eyes. "What?" I grumbled. He let go then sighed.

"Umm…I'll practice on you. You're…really cute. How does that make you feel?"

I froze then blinked before letting out a scoff. "You don't need practice. You're fine just the way you are!"

"But I need to know more about how to be a girl, Rima"

I sighed. "You're over-doing it. Nadeshiko's the most girly girl I know"

"Hey, Nugget! Nagihiko obviously needs more practice and _I'll_ help him with it!"

Nugget? I narrowed my eyes at Mei, hoping to look intimidating despite my small size.

"I don't care. Hanawa, stop acting like we're rivals. Your rivals are his fangirls and Yamabuki Saaya. I've got no plans of taking your Nagi-kun from you" I spat. She smiled contently while Nagihiko silently looked between the two of us. Suddenly, he put his palms in front of him.

"Whoa, whoa. Rima-chan, Hanawa-san and I aren't dating. She's just my childhood friend, is all…"

…Childhood friends…

I bet that there's some kind of spark between them. The thought caused me to wince.

"Nope. Nagihiko, she's your fiancé…" I grumbled. At what I said, his eyes widened for a split second before he let his bangs cover his face. I stood there for a few seconds before clicking my tongue. "Well, I'll see you in the Royal Garden, Nagihiko. We still have a meeting to attend to" I said before quietly walking off.

My head was down the entire time I made my way and I was too deep in thought to see where I was going. That is why I didn't notice myself walking into someone. I fell on my butt then winced. Angrily, I looked up, only to see Kairi hurriedly shoving something into his pocket.

I'm not sure what he put in there but it was somewhere around the color of magenta.

"S-sorry for bumping into you, Queen!" He cried. I nodded.

"It's okay…" I never got to finish because he hurriedly skid past me. Suddenly, something clicked in my mind.

"Kairi!" I called out. He froze then nervously looked at me.

"…I'm wondering if the meeting's over, seeing that you're not in the…"

"I-it's not. I just…skipped today because I…I…felt sick and…yeah…" Then he ran off. I glared after him in suspicion. Why did it seem like he was in so much hurry to get away?

"Rima, what's with Kairi today?" Kusukusu asked.

"I don't know…" I breathed.

"Rima-chan!"

I stiffened at the voice then I felt my legs race from it automatically while Kusukusu quickly followed, asking why I was running from it.

The footsteps of the source of the voice came closer and closer. I then felt his hand grab me in the arm, causing me to quietly gasp.

"Don't worry, Rima-chan. It wasn't Yukari-baka that called you…" He whispered.

I knew it wasn't. What I don't know is why I ran away.

"Oh" I muttered. I turned to him. His expression was different from the usual. Unlike the normally calm and happy expression, now it was worried and curious.

"Why do you keep avoiding me?" He asked softly. I forced a smile then snickered.

"No reason. Just the thought of you being all lovey-dovey with your fiancé made me realize that now's my opportunity to have Amu all to myself" I lied. Nagihiko smiled before letting out a soft, light-hearted chuckle.

"If that's the case, then I'll be clingy to Amu-chan more than before!" He teased. I felt my face heat up in anger as I shot him an evil aura of death.

"No fair! Why?"

"So you won't avoid me" He winked.

* * *

The first thing that Amu and Tadase did when we got in was glare at Nagihiko. It made him shift uncomfortably and I secretly enjoyed it so I didn't tell them that this is the real Nadeshiko at the moment.

"U-um…hi, Amu-chan" He said. Amu scoffed then turned away, causing him to sweat-drop. He turned to Tadase with a hopeful expression.

"Why is she so mad at me, Hotori-kun…?" He asked. Tadase turned away but remained silent. Nagihiko looked around the garden for any trace of Yaya or Kukai. Fortunately, both were late. I happily watched as he slowly started to look more and more panicked.

"Amu-chan…" He pleaded. Amu crossed her arms then turned away with an audible 'humph'

"H-Hotori-kun…" A look of hurt crossed Tadase's as he continued to ignore the poor girl (_cough-_boy-_cough_)

"A-Amu-chan, what did I do?" Nagihiko was now literally panicking and it caused me to stifle laughter.

"Be quiet!" She yelled, causing him to flinch.

"You're not the real Nadeshiko. You're the Nadeshiko wannabe that flamed me yesterday!" She spat.

Nagihiko gawked while I clenched my fists as an attempt to hold back mirth. Finally, I couldn't help it anymore. I leaned back in my chair then fell into continuous fits of laughter.

"Amu, Tadase, today this is the real Nadeshiko!" I snickered. Tadase raised his brows in awe; Nagihiko cocked his head in confusion while Amu's eyes literally sparkled with glee.

"Honto?" She hugged him tightly around the torso.

"Nadeshiko, I miss you! You won't believe what that impostor told me yesterday. She said that…" Amu rambled on the details of yesterday's events while Nagihiko looked freaked out. After a while, he managed to compose himself then tried to listen to Amu's continuous rambles.

The door of the garden suddenly slammed wide open, and I felt my face drop at the sight of Mei. She walked towards Nagihiko with a wide grin.

"Nade, you have to make this fast! Mei-chan still wants to play with you right after this meeting, okay?" She beamed. Amu's brows creased in wonder while I simply groaned then walked towards her.

"That girl…" I pointed at Mei with a disdainful look, "…is the Nadeshiko wannabe. Also, she's a burriko"

Amu frowned then glared at the girl. I could already feel her cool n' spicy energy coming in.

"Hey you…" She muttered. Mei stopped to look at her, blinking a couple of times just to look more innocent.

"Are you an idiot? I'm not stupid. I know that you're the one who called my hair terrible yesterday" Amu said, putting her right hand on her hip in a cool manner.

Mei smirked.

"And so?"

I brought out my phone then let out a dramatic sigh.

"How very disturbing. Only guardians are allowed to enter the Royal Garden. You're not one so off you go before I call the police!" I waved my small hands.

Nagihiko looked at her furious face with an apologetic look.

"That's actually true, Hanawa-san. I'll just see you tomorrow, okay?" He smiled. At this, Mei let out a small smile.

"Okay…" She trailed off. Just as she was about to leave, she stopped to look at Nagihiko.

"For the millionth time, Nadeshiko. You could call me by my first name" She pouted.

Nagihiko's left eye twitched.

"Nah. I think I feel more comfortable with calling you Hanawa-san. Actually, I would gladly call you Hanawa-_sama_ if-"

"-Nevermind. Just stick to Hanawa-san, then. See you, Nadeshiko" she said. I'm not sure if it was just me, but I thought I saw a sad expression cross her face. Nagihiko smiled before waving back at her. When she was gone, I turned to him with a low growl.

"…So with her, you're willing to add _sama_ or _san_ but with me, you don't even bother to give me an honorific…" I grumbled. He let out a soft, Nadeshiko-like giggled then turned to Amu. Suddenly, he hugged her arms. That annoying, purple-headed _pervert_-

"Amu-chan! I missed you so much!" He said in his high, sing-song soprano. Amu laughed then turned to him.

"It's only been a day"

Then he hugged her. Tadase and I winced then twitched. When he pulled away, he turned to me then let a little smirk form in his face.

He's being clingy to Amu just as he said. It's annoying. What part of 'Amu is my best-friend' does he not get?

"Ah! Amu-chan, we still need to work on the project" Tadase piped in. Amu flinched then blushed. Nagihiko and I raised our brows in confusion and curiosity.

"Sorry, Nadeshiko! Sorry, Rima. _Tadase-kun_ and I have this project we need to do in…the…park…" Amu trailed off, her face turned into a darker shade of red each passing second.

"Y-you see, Tsukasa told us to be group-mates in this project…" Tadase added.

To my surprise, Nagihiko simply shrugged. He didn't flinch or grit his teeth in jealousy. He just…shrugged…

"Well good luck with that!" He smiled. The two blushed as they awkwardly made their way out. Silence ensured as Nagihiko and I were left in the garden. Things started to get awkward as I squeezed the hem of my skirt, hoping that either Yaya or Kukai would come in to lighten up the mood.

"Rima," Nagihiko started. I twitched then turned to him.

"Add an honorific to my name. Also, _what_?" I spat. He smiled then looked at me.

"Remember this math topic you need help with? I could teach you now since there's really nothing to do"

I nodded then brought out my booklet.

"You can start _helping_ me by doing my homework for me" I said, shoving the things to him. He snickered then shook his head.

"No, Rima. _You _will be doing your homework" He said. I groaned then glared.

"Fine then. It's easy anyway"

"Then do it"

I turned to the booklet, only to stiffen. What's with these letters and equations and…stuff…?

"You know what, forget about math" I said, mentally slamming myself for even mentioning math. Nothing good can come out of that subject. Even by the very mention of its name. Nagihiko gave me an 'I'm-not-an-idiot-to-not-see-that-you-don't-know-a-thing-about-numbers' look. I flicked my tongue then groaned.

"For your information, I know how to add and subtract. Don't look at me as if I'm the most stupid person on earth. My grades aren't _that_ low. It's actually average" I informed him.

"I'm bored today…" He randomly blurted out.

I gave him a peculiar look.

"So?" I raised my brows.

"Do you want to study your notes?"

I snickered. He's such an annoying, girly, freakishly popular nerd.

"You're a geek" I snickered. He chuckled.

"And you get low grades. Honestly, Rima. You need to get higher than a seventy-five if you want to go to a decent college"

I glared at him.

"Are you a stalker…?" I grumbled. He chuckled then shook his head.

"No, Rima. No I'm not"

I bowed my head, thinking. Honestly, I really needed help but I just didn't want to admit it. I pass but my grades aren't good enough to qualify for a good university. I bit my lip then looked at Nagihiko.

"Fine. I'll let you help me" I said proudly. That's one way to ask for help without having o lose any dignity. Nagihiko smiled then leaned closer as he brought out his textbook. He gently put it on the table then turned it in a specific page. He squinted his eyes, smiled, then turned to me with a beam.

"I noticed that you're grades in English class is the lowest…"

…Seriously. Is he a stalker?

"…Do you know what a redundant sentence is?" He asked slowly. I narrowed my eyes as I thought. After thirteen seconds of thinking, nothing came to my mind so I just gave up.

"No" I said. He flipped the page.

"It's the unnecessary repetition in expressing ideas" He said. I tilted my head in wonder.

"Like…'I'm cute _cute cute cute_ and oh so cute that I just want to hug myself because I'm so cute and cute'? Is _that_ a redundant sentence?"

"No" He was face-palming. He sighed before looking up at me.

"I don't even think that that's an English sentence…" He stated. I pouted.

"Let's just stick to math"

"No. English is your worst subject so that's what we're going to learn today" He said. I groaned then flicked my tongue.

"Fine"

Why was he doing this to me? Is this Nagihiko's like when he's bored?

He taught me for half an hour and it was slowly sinking in. Actually, it's not that hard when I actually try to listen. I mean, true, he sounded like an annoying nerd but I had his full attention on me. The clock ticked by and I found myself drowning out his voice. Suddenly, he stopped.

"Rima, I'm hungry"

* * *

The trees were still dead and the ground was still wet. The temperature of the humid air was chilly and my guess is that winter season is not yet over.

Nagihiko (Now wearing a blue, long-sleeved v-neck, tight pants and a pair of rubber shoes) and I walked beside each other, each one holding a paper bag of warm, bean-filled taiyaki.

"You're weird" I said whilst taking a bite off my snack. Nagihiko eyed me curiously so I continued,

"You bring boy clothes with you all the time"

Nagihiko shrugged then took a bite off his own snack.

"I don't want to be Nadeshiko all the time"

I thought about this.

_He didn't want to be Nadeshiko all the time._

Why is it, though, that he's only shown hints of manliness outside home? When I went to his 'house', his room was entirely covered in feminine Japanese decorations. There were no balls or boards in any corner of his house. I was lost in it, and everything still looked feminine. Also, all of his closets only contained floral dresses and feminine bottoms.

I turned to Nagihiko.

"Can't you be a boy at home? I noticed that around your mom or even household helpers, you still keep the girly mask"

All of a sudden, the calm, teasing atmosphere became heavy. Nagihiko fell silent as his shoulders started to get a bit rigid.

I did not mean to make him stiffen at my innocent question. Silence ensured, and I was left wondering where I've gone wrong.

"U-um…you see…" He breathed. I looked at him expectantly and curiously.

"R-Rima…neither mother nor the maids know about Nagihiko's existence- they only know me as Nadeshiko. Mother believes that only she, the Hanawa family and my doctor are the only people in this world who know of my true gender" He said everything, almost in a dark, mysterious whisper. As much as I wanted to ask, I remained silent.

All this time, I've always believed that Nagihiko is a perfect and problem-less person. I mean, he always gets perfect grades and people always want him to be the class president. However, his tone and stoic face showed me a different, pained side to him.

A question suddenly popped in my mind, and I was itching to ask it. After a few second of trying to keep it in, I finally blabbered,

"…What about your dad? Doesn't he know…?"

When I asked that, he let his bangs cover his face. I would say, 'Nevermind. Forget I asked that' but I wasn't going to. I want to know more. I'm curious. Why does he seem so bothered…?

I waited for his answer. When he opened his mouth, he said something completely out-of-the-topic.

"Rima, if you're not going to finish your taiyaki, can I have it?"

The atmosphere was almost back to its calm, happy state. Notice how I said _almost_?

Although he was smiling, I could see that his eyes were still distant.

Suddenly, our phones rang _at the same time_. It must be a chain mail.

He and I got out ringing phones. We got a message from Amu.

_**Meet me at my house now.**_

_**It's an emergency.**_

_** -Amu**_


	35. Just a crush?

**Chapter 35**

**I just read chapters 2-5 of this, and it honestly made me laugh to see how Rima and Nagihiko's relationship changed throughout the story. Heck, even the way Nagihiko teased her back then was different (he used to really dislike Rima, remember?)**

…**I'm rambling. **

**Anyway, thanks so much for reading up to this point. It means a lot (^_^)d

* * *

**

I know Nagihiko could run faster. He's holding back because I'm too slow. The both of us wanted to get to Amu's house as soon as possible. I mean, the way she texted us just now isn't the way she talks. Since when did Amu seem so stern? Since when did she not put a smiley after a message? Something's definitely going on.

Nagihiko was looking ahead, his face was cramped with different emotions. He'd probably stop holding back and looking back at me after awhile because Amu _is_ our best-friend. He'll have the opportunity to have her all to himself if he gets there earlier.

"I can't run any faster! I'm so tired!" I gasped as I stopped to rest my hands on my knees. Nagihiko stopped to look back. I don't know how he does it. We've been running the entire time so how does he still seem to be so light on his feet?

"You can do it, Rima!" Kusukusu, who had just woken from her nap, cheered. Nagihiko's chara, Rhythm, hatched from his egg then flew to Nagihiko's shoulder, asking what the heck was going on.

I continued to pant when suddenly; I saw a hand shoot towards me. I looked up, only to let a small smile cross my face when I saw Nagihiko offering me his hand.

"You're my rival to Amu-chan's friendship, but that doesn't mean that I'm going to leave you behind" He smiled. I took his hand then he pulled me up. When we let go, his hands touched my back and the back of my knee before suddenly, I felt myself get lifted as he carried me bridal style. I felt heat flood my face.

"Stupid, cross-dressing idiot! Let go of me!" I screamed, whilst struggling, "I swear that if you don't-" I stopped abruptly when I saw a pair of headphones hanging around his neck. I narrowed my eyes.

"I am going to _kill_ your stupid chara…" I grumbled. He leaped then ran to Amu's house; I still flung around his arms.

* * *

Everyone was already there by the time I got to Amu's house.

Amu was seated on the couch, obviously sulking, while everyone surrounded her. Kusukusu joined the other charas while Rhythm hid in the pocket of Nagihiko's pants. He put me down, got a rubber band then tied his hair up before anyone could see him with his hair down.

"What's going on?" I asked, sitting next to Amu. Nagihiko stood behind Amu, a concerned expression etched all over his face.

"R-Ran is…" She trailed off. We noticed that she couldn't speak. She was holding back her own sobs.

"Ran is missing" Tadase said. Amu let her head hang low as Su and Miki came to her for comfort.

Yaya was biting her bottom lip in anxiety, Kukai was frowning as he thought, Tadase's head was hung low, and Nagihiko had a thoughtful look on his face while Kairi…wore this peculiar expression.

"So how can we purify x-eggs now…?" Yaya asked. Amu put both hands on her palm.

"I'm a failure as the Joker" She cried.

"No you're not. What we need to do is simple," I started. "All we have to do is work together to get it back!"

"I can't!"

We all turned to the source of the voice- _Kairi_

"Why not, Kairi?" Amu asked, tilting her head slightly to the side. He forced a cough before saying, "I have something to attend to"

"Well, Jack, call us if you know something!" Kukai smiled. Kairi nodded.

* * *

"Kairi is a strange guy" Kusukusu mumbled. I nodded my head in agreement.

I was making my way home with only Kusukusu by my side. It was a quiet trip back home, and I found myself thinking about Kairi- _and not in the romantic way, people!_

"He's hiding something from us…" Kusukusu stated. As if I didn't know that already…

He's always so quiet and mysterious. It's as if he's against us. Also, why is he always in a hurry to get away? What is he hiding? When I ran into him yesterday, he was holding something. What was it…? Why did he seem so afraid to show it?

How did it look? I caught a glimpse of it. It was…_pink_…?

"_Rima!"_

How strange. Its shade of pink seemed so familiar- Wait. Why am I thinking so hard about this? It was probably nothing…

However, something in me wanted to keep analyzing. I think I _should_ know what it is. I have a feeling that if I do find out, it will crack the code. I will know who Kairi really is.

"Rima, watch out!" Kusukusu shrieked.

I gasped as a dark, violet matter almost hit me. Scared, I looked around, only to find myself surrounded by hundreds of x-eggs.

I'm screwed.

"Kusukusu!" I glanced at my chara. She nodded her head in understanding.

_Charanari: Clown Drop_

"Juggling party!" I chanted. Bowling pins started to hurl towards the x-eggs to keep them distant. However, that wasn't enough to keep them preoccupied. Around fifteen got together then hit me with the blast. I gasped as I felt myself slam against a tree.

"_Rima!"_

"I'm okay, Kusukusu…" I grit through my teeth. I pointed at the eggs.

"Tightrope dancer!"

Yes! It tied up a lot of them! Now they're trapped!

…So now what am I supposed to do…

I stared.

"I need Amu…" I cried. My ropes were slowly breaking, and the eggs were about to break free.

They blast me again, and I fell back hopelessly on the ground.

"What a weak bunch of kids. I can't see why director wants me to beat you all into a pulp. You're no threat. None of you is a threat"

Utau descended right before me. She wore a thigh-high devil-like dress and her usual twin-tails were held up by a bat-shaped ponytail. She was in her own character transformation.

She gave me a cruel glare before strutting off. The x-eggs looked at her, as if they were waiting for a command. Wait. Did she make all of these eggs?

"Finish her off. That's one midget out of the way" She said. I gasped as all the eggs faced me.

"Kusukusu, hurry! You've got to have some kind of weapon!" I panicked. The eggs started to get together. I leapt back, scared.

"_R-Rima! I-I don't!"_

The eggs were being shrouded in the dark, ominous aura.

When I knew that they were about to hit, my body moved involuntarily. I summoned the juggling pins and, much to my terror, used them to break the eggs. Thousands of shattered particles fell then faded. My eyes widened and I felt my pupil contract. I broke the eggs- I broke the dreams of hundreds of children.

I saw Utau sneer from the distance before she walked away.

When everything was settled and silent and the eggs were gone, I undid the character change then fell on my knees in fear and guilt.

I broke the dreams of hundreds of children…

* * *

The thought gave me a sleepless night. It's a good thing that tomorrow's a Saturday. I don't think I could actually stay awake during class. Also, I don't know just how to tell the Guardians what I just did. The guilt was eating me up.

The next day

"Rima-chan" I heard my mother say through the door. After that, she knocked.

"Rima-chan, a friend of yours is here to see you" She said. I twirled in my bed then mumbled an audible, _"Who?"_

"Her name is…Hanawa Mei-san?"

_THUD_

Ouch. Who knew falling off my bed could hurt that much?

"What?" I exclaimed. I raced to the window, and saw Mei standing by the door. She had a frown on her face and she was tapping her foot impatiently. And then it hit me…

"T-the ice skating trip!" I gasped silently to myself. Kusukusu knew exactly what to do; she dove into my closet then brought out some of my favorite combination during a winter day (a red, furry coat, violet leggings, brown boots and a pair of white gloves) while I washed my face, brushed my teeth then _attempted _to comb my wild curls that _refused_ to follow my wish; it's as if my hair had a life of its own! To make it seem less wild, I slammed my violet beret over it. Hastily, I grabbed the garments then forced them on, not even bothering to fix the fit. I could always fix it on my way down.

"I'm going out today, mama" I said as I passed by her. She said a quick "Be careful, dear", I smiled at her and I was out.

"Honestly, you're not worth the wait" Mei spat. I narrowed my eyes at her. She was wearing a fancy white blouse topped with a baby pink jacket; jeans, a red scarf, magenta, high-heeled boots and a pink turban hat.

"Also, I'd like to know…" She started, "How do you live in this trashy dump? It's so small like you. My mansion is a million times bigger"

I ignored her then continued to strut. She angrily followed.

"Hey! Don't ignore me! I came here as an act of kindness and you'll just leave me? What kind of person are y-Wait! I know what you are. You're a demon. From now on, I will be calling you demon spawn because you're so mean and devilish and…

I yawned as she continued to rant. Was she always this noisy? She sounds like a chimpanzee with her continuous rambles, to be honest.

"H-hey! You're ignoring me again!" She screeched. I turned to her.

"So?"

Her face became red because of anger.

"Honestly. I don't know why Nagi-kin invited you. It would've been better if it was just the both of us…" Suddenly, she was trapped in her own dreamy fantasy. "I-it would be like a date for the both of us…" She squealed (…hearts started to make its way to her eyes). I rolled my eyes then continued to ignore her.

Sheesh. Her ramble is even more annoying than the x-eggs' chants.

Speaking of x-eggs…

I sulked.

"I-it's okay, Rima! It will be okay!" Kusukusu attempted to cheer me up. I smiled at her.

"Thanks"

Mei gave me a weird look.

"Mashiro-bozu, are you talking to yourself? I honestly can't see why Nagi-kin talks to someone as autistic as you!" She snickered.

Oh yeah! Burriko can't see charas. Oh very, very unfortunate of her. After that sentence, she was silent. It suddenly felt weird. I mean, I somehow got used to her chimpanzee-like rambles, that the silence suddenly felt awkward. I glanced at her and she looked at me.

"Rima! Hanawa-sama!" Mei and I stiffened at the voice.

My pride seemed to take over. I turned to Nagihiko with a slight glare.

"Stupid purple-head! Why can't you add an honorific to my name?" I hissed. He stopped right before us then chuckled.

"I'm sorry, Rima. It became a habit after you said I can just call you Rima a few weeks ago"

"I was in an emotional state!"

Sheesh- He saved me from possibly becoming an x-character permanently by giving me a heart-felt speech. Of course I'd be emotional at that time. Of course, I've got to admit that even until now, I'm secretly thankful for what he did for me.

Suddenly, Nagihiko fell back as Mei tackled him to the ground. She started to rub her cheeks in his, and for some odd reason, something boiled at the pit of my stomach. How very, very strange…

"Nagi-kin, why do you keep calling me Hanawa-sama? Call me Mei!" She whined. It felt weird to hear her say that. I mean, after all, she has Nadeshiko's voice. Nagihiko laughed then sat up. It was only then that I noticed what he was wearing- A slim, white sweater covered in an unbuttoned, waist-low coat, a pair of grey pants and black shoes and a white scarf. Also, I noticed something else. Mei is on top of him.

_She is on top of him_!

I clenched my fists. I somehow want to knock her out with my bowling pins, but yesterday's memory stopped me from doing so. _Finally_ Nagihiko stood up. He looked at me with a slightly horrified expression.

"Um…why are you glaring at me, Rima?" He asked.

Eh? I was glaring. I didn't mean to but…ah well.

"No reason" I said while turning away. I strut towards the lake. "Hurry up. I want to ice skate already" I shouted.

Since when was I so interested in ice skating? Wait-I don't even know how to skate properly.

Kill me! Kill me now!

* * *

We rented skating shoes and we made our way to the used-to-be lake. Currently it's an ice rink.

As always, Mei was flirting with Nagihiko. How the heck can the stupid guy not notice that? He's a smart idiot! What the heck?

"Need any help, Rima?" Nagihiko asked, holding his hand out for me. I took it, and then he helped me move. I knew how to stand. The thing is that I can't move right. Whenever I attempted to glide, I always ended up flat on my face so I just trudged- trudging doesn't look good when you're in an elegant, bladed shoe.

"Rima, try to glide your feet" He told me gently. I pouted.

"I can't or we'll fall"

"Well, at least you won't look like a five-year-old attempting to skate for the first time" He teased. I flinched.

"I am not a five-year-old! I'm a teenager!" I shrieked as I attempted to glide my feet.

"I-I'm doing it!" I cried. Nagihiko sweat-dropped.

"No, Rima. You're still trudging"

Drat.

"Nagi-kin!"

Double drat. I've never hated Nadeshiko's voice _this_ much before. Mei was sitting in the middle of the rink while biting her lower lip. She twirled her brown hair and caused her hazel eyes to grow bigger, only to look more innocent.

"I can't stand! I don't know how to skate! Can you help me?" She whimpered. Nagihiko looked at me.

"Wait right here, Rima" He smiled before gliding towards Mei. He helped her up, and she was clinging unto him so tightly. How annoying! Just awhile ago she was skating pretty well! She wasn't spinning or twirling but at least she was _gliding_! When she was up, she did that cliché thing wherein the girl suddenly falls on the guy. She _meant _to do that. I just _know_ it!

"Oops" She smiled. Nagihiko chuckled.

"It's okay"

Then he came back to me.

"Stay here. I don't know how to do it" I pleaded. Kusukusu gave me a strange look, but she dismissed it then went off to play with Rhythm somewhere. I sighed, relieved that Kusukusu didn't question me. However, my relieved face tensed up when I saw Mei glowering at me. I looked at Nagihiko. For a second, there was a flicker in his eye that I've never seen before. He shrugged nonchalantly then smiled.

"Okay then"

I grabbed his coat then trudged behind him, silently muttering a 'thank you'. I slipped a lot of times- yes. However, Nagihiko always seemed to catch me just in time. Nothing was happening; I still found myself trudging. After a few minutes, I grew tired so we stopped. Mei followed (gliding, if I may add) as we made our way out. The whole time, she was crossing her arms and pouting her lips.

"Rima, Hanawa-san, I'll treat you for lunch. What do you want?" Nagihiko asked.

"Gyudon?" I shrugged.

"I'd like to get a milkshake with only one straw. Nagi-kin, do you want to share it with me?" She cooed. I froze while Nagihiko sweat-dropped then politely said a polite 'No'. Well, at least he's not _that _dense!

Mei furrowed her brows once again then pouted. The snowy road we're passing by is buzzing with excitement. Young boys played with snowballs, little girls made snow angels and young lovers sat on the benches. Despite the noisy and happy atmosphere, the three of us walked in silence. Nagihiko, _finally_ noticing Mei for the first time, asked,

"Hanawa-san, is there something wrong?"

"No"

"But you've been shooting daggers at me the entire time!"

"Nothing is wrong, Nagihiko"

"Are you sure, Hana-"

"Idiot!" Hanawa screeched. Everyone became silent then looked at u-err- Mei and Nagihiko. She started to pound her fists against his chest as she continued t mumble the word 'idiot' under her breath.

"Mei, you're attracting a crowd" I pointed out. Of course, I was ignored.

"Nagihiko, you're such a smart person so how can you not see something so obvious? For _nine_ years, I've been dropping hints, hoping that you'll notice but _no_! You never noticed especially since Rima came into the picture! Idiot! Nagihiko!"

Tears stroke her eyes as she began to slam her fist some more. Nagihiko just stood there with a 'what-the-heck-did-I-do' face.

"What didn't I notice?" He asked, earning the crowds' interest. I backed away a bit, uncomfortable with all the attention.

"You're a stupid nerd! Nagihiko, I _love_ you!"

The crowd 'ooed while Nagihiko paled. I couldn't help but widen my eyes in shock and…a strange feeling that I cannot point out.

Nagihiko started to move his mouth slightly, trying to attempt to speak. However, just before he found his voice, Mei grabbed his chin then crashed her lips into his. I could tell that Nagihiko was frozen by the way he didn't pull away as Mei prolonged the kiss.

A familiar feeling filled me. It's similar to how I feel when a stranger tries to befriend Amu yet…it's stronger this time. My mouth was left hanging open as I helplessly watched them.

1…

2…

3…

4…

5…

Mei kissed him for five seconds before pulling away. She looked satisfied yet Nagihiko was still dazed. My heart sank and my body froze. I was just gaping there like a fish- unable to speak. When I could finally move, I found myself running away. I went through the crowd that the two had attracted, not minding the insults they spat at me as I accidentally hit them in my hurry to get away.

I sat at a familiar park bench to catch my breath. What I want now is some time to think and arrange this jumbled puzzle.

Why do I care so much?

What's wrong with me?

The answer of any cliché chic would be, "You obviously like him!". I don't want to think that way.

However there's a possibility that I do. What other explanation could there be?

I took a deep, shaky breath then clenched my fists.

"Relax…" I said to myself. "…it's just a crush…"


	36. Sorry! Author's note

Hey, everyone! Sorry, you probably thought that this was another chapter. It's not. So sorry!

I'm trying to think of something for the next chapter, but I'm having a hard time. I need to fix the flow of this story…

And the last time I updated was…February, I think?

Wow. I wouldn't be surprised if nobody reads this anymore, but it's my fault for not updating in a LONG time (hides in emo corner)

I'll try to update when an idea clicks. Somehow, Shugo Chara got harder to write. Especially since I started to like other shows such as Zero not Tsukaima and…Korean shows and…Zero no Tsukaima…ugh. So much for trying to get back to Rima's personality-ish by watching that.

Anyway, I just made this to let you know that I'm not dead. Hihi.

I think I'll make a short fanfic of another anime, though, to get back to writing. I've been busy too.

So…um…I don't want to take too much of your time so I'll end it here. The author's note, I mean…


	37. The truth about Nagihiko Fujisaki

**Chapter 37**

"Rima-chan,"

I glanced back at the teacher with an agitated look.

"Um…You are close to Fujisaki-san, right? I have a favor. Please deliver this to her house" She handed me a long brown envelope. I looked at it in curiosity.

"Fujisaki-san hasn't reported to class for three days, and I'm worried that her grades in health class would go down. It would be a shame. That is why I want you to give her those handouts about our latest lessons"

I glanced at the envelope for, smirked, then nodded.

"I'm sure _she_ would find this lesson interesting, sensei. After all, Nadeshiko is a very studious student" I said oh-so-innocently.

"Thank you, Rima-chan!" She smiled. I said my goodbye then headed out the classroom.

Nagihiko has been absent for three days, and it sucks. It sucks how he'd do it just when I admitted (only to myself) that I like him.

"Nagihiko, that idiot…" I sighed.

Neither Amu nor Nagihiko are there for me nowadays- Amu's too caught up in her own secrets; Nagihiko's sick and hardly even calls me.

It's safe to admit that I'm feeling pretty lonely…

In the midst of my thoughts, I didn't know that my legs have led me to the place Nagihiko would rather call a _house_.

Reluctantly, I rang the bell, only to be greeted by the same maid- Baaya.

"Ah, you're Rima-chan!" She grinned. I bowed my head.

"The teacher told me to give these handouts to Nadeshiko" I handed her the folder but she refused.

"Oh, no! I say that _you_ give that to the young ma-…mistress. She's been very lonely. No one would visit her"

"What about the bur-…I mean Mei?" I wondered. Baaya sighed as she led me in.

"Well, she's the very reason the mistress got sick in the first place…" Then she sighed, "Let's just say that Hanawa-sama messed-up in cooking…"

"Oh! I'm surprised that she doesn't know how to cook" I snickered.

Baaya let out a light chuckle before pointing at a certain door.

"That's the mistress' room" She winked at me before walking away.

Wait. Why'd she wink?

I shook the memory off then turned to the door. It's still the same room we entered last time when our charas got lost- large and polished. With a gulp, I turned the knob then entered.

The room had a trace of sakura fragrance despite the large window leading to the smoky streets. In the middle of the room stood a bed, and beneath the blankets was a buldge. The buldge must be Nagihiko.

I walked towards the bed then lay the envelope next to his pillow.

"Nagihiko…?" I whispered.

I slowly pulled the covers off, ready to slam the envelope on his head, but I stopped myself from doing it once I noticed that he was asleep- his breathing was heavy, his face was flushed, his shirt was drenched…

He must be really sick.

Curious, I started to poke at his cheek, only to pull it back. He's burning up…

Suddenly, Nagihiko's eyes fluttered open. He eyed me for awhile before whispering, "Demon spawn…?"

You know what, forget about me liking him. This guy's a total idiot. I literally slammed the envelope on his face, causing him to flinch.

"I'm only here to deliver these handouts from health class to you so don't get the wrong idea!" I growled. I was about to walk away until he grabbed my hand, the hastiness causing him to fall off his bed. I had to flinch for a second at how hot his palms were. I turned to him with a-_what do you want now, tea bag- _look. He avoided eye contact.

"Um…Sorry. That didn't sound right. Rima, could you…stay…?" He mumbled. I, being the good actor that I am, held back a giggle then looked away from him.

"Fine, but only because I'm being nice since you're sick"

He grinned then let go of my hand. Slowly, I sat beside him then sighed.

"Your maid said that you've been alone these past few days. Don't your parents take care of you?" I wondered. He slowly shook his head as he observed the envelope.

"They're always busy…" He muttered. Silence insured as I tried to let what he said sink in. There was always an edgy feel whenever he spoke of his parents. I figured that the silence was starting to get awkward, so I said the first thing to come to my mind.

"So…who takes care of you…?"

Nagihiko raised his brows at me.

"A private nurse- but she won't come here today. She's boring, anyway- makes me feel like I'm in a hospital" He replied. I nodded my head in understanding. Suddenly, a question popped in on my head

"What about Mei? Doesn't she come to visit you every once in awhile? Or often?"

Immediately, Nagihiko dropped the folder causing the contents to fall off. He eyes the door a few meters away from him before cautiously turning to me.

I froze.

"Why are you asking me all these questions?" He asked- shakily.

I shrugged.

"I'm bored. But you didn't answer my question"

He opened his mouth to say something, but was cut off by a coughing fit. I stood there, paralyzed. When he stopped, he leaned back into his pillow. Worried, I placed my hand on his forehead and resisted the urge to pull it back immediately.

"Sorry for the trouble, Rima-chan…" He croaked. I flinched at the nickname. He added a 'chan'. I wouldn't admit it, but I was slightly hurt.

"Don't talk. Go to sleep, idiot, Jeez! Don't you know how to rest when you're sick?" I hissed at him. He continued to look at me, causing a blush to slowly creep unto my face. Finally, he sighed then closed his eyes.

After awhile, he was asleep.

"Good thing you managed to make him rest! He wouldn't listen to me and his nurse and continued to work!" I jumped a bit at the voice.

"Yo!"

I abruptly turned to the source of the voice, which was on top of Nagihiko's desk. There sat Rhythm- a smirk plastered across his face

"What do you mean by him not listening to you or the nurse?" I asked. Rhythm sighed then floated to my side.

"We kept on telling him to take a break from working and rest while he was sick but he didn't listen. He continued to do his schoolwork and dance nonstop. He's hardly had any sleep at all!" Rhythm explained. At what he said, I couldn't help but want to slap Nagihiko in his sleep for being so stupidly smart.

"Cross-dresser, it's not enough to know the definition of rest when you're sick. It's also necessary to _apply_ it…" I muttered.

Suddenly, he came to another coughing fit, but this was worse. He could hardly breathe and when I checked his temperature with the back of my hand, he was _really_ burning up. Of course, since I didn't know a thing about medication, I panicked. It was Rhythm that calmed me down and brought me back to my senses.

Hurriedly, I made my way out of the door then let Rhythm lead me to the bathroom.

Pssh. Big house.

When I got to the bathroom, I got a piece of cloth, ran cold water over it then wrung it to keep it from dripping on the mansion's floor. Hurriedly, I made my way back to Nagihiko's room then placed the damp cloth on his forehead.

His face was still red and his breaths were still gasps. I couldn't help but worry, knowing that keeping the cloth on his forehead wasn't working. Abruptly, I grabbed the hem of his soaking shirt then pulled it off him.

I then placed the cloth on his bare chest, down to his navel and up to his shoulder. To my relief, it was cooling him down. I continued to rub the cloth on him until his temperature wasn't as high anymore.

"That stupid guy had me all worried…" I sighed as I used the blankets to cover him. I then slumped into his chair before turning to Rhythm; Rhythm, who was smirking at me…

"…And you had to pull his shirt off…" His eye glinted as he said this.

"Oh shut up! I had no choice. It was the only way to cool him down!" I said, trying to sound as calm as possible. "Anyway, if his nurse isn't here to take care of him, then can't Baaya do it?" I said. Rhythm sighed then looked at me.

"Baaya's always out to do special errands ordered by Nagi's mom so even if she wants to, she can't really take care of him. The other maids are busy too, trying to keep this house clean and presentable at all times" He replied.

"But if he's sick, can't his parents find time to care for him? He nearly fainted while I was here…so what if I wasn't…?" I shuddered at the thought.

A lonely expression crossed Rhythm's face. He fidgeted with his fingers then finally started, "Since you're a good friend of Nagi, I know I can trust you so I'll tell you"

I'm not Nagi's good friend. I still think that I'm his rival…even though I kinda like him.

"…you see, in the Fujisaki family, having a girl for a child is actually a sign of fortune- you can teach them Japanese dances and marry them off to other wealthy men. Of course, there is a deal that the surname to be used after matrimony was 'Fujisaki'"

He paused for a second then sighed.

"When Nagi was born, everyone was disappointed. However, his parents decided to make him live as a girl, anyway"

He let out another sigh, signaling that the next statement was a bad memory.

"At the tender age of seven, Nagihiko met some boys in his school. They taught him how to play basketball and needless to say, he enjoyed it. Eversince then, he _refused_ to dance and follow the family's tradition. Because of that, his parents shunned him; the rest of the family had decided to kill him"

A small smile then formed in Rhythm's face before he said the rest.

"Luckily, Mei was there when the two families were thinking of methods for the murder. She managed to stop them by making Nagihiko promise he'll follow the family's customs and traditions…"

Rhythm trailed off.

Silence ensured as everything slowly sunk in.

The chara continued, "The rest of it is sad. Nagi's parents wouldn't treat him like their child. They didn't want to grow too attached to him, knowing that one day he might go against the tradition. That is why the existence of Nagihiko must be kept secret else the family will have him killed!"

Rhythm finished his story, catching me off-guard. The entire story was difficult to absorb. For a few minutes, I found myself aimlessly staring at the walls.

Nagihiko could get killed…

Nagihiko's family hates him…

I took a shaky breath as I turned to Nagihiko at an angle where it's easy for me to slowly swipe his bangs from his face.

"No wonder you were such a jerk" I silently teased.

"Nee, Rhythm…" I turned to the chara, "…other than my friends, the school, Saaya and Kirishima-kun, who knows about Nagihiko's existence?

Rhythm grinned.

"Baaya"

"Baaya?"

"She is the only adult Nagi is attached to and trusts"

"Oh…" I mumbled.

I'm glad. At least I know that Nagihiko still had people that cared about him despite his past. Slowly, I inched myself closer to him before pecking him at the cheek- close to the lips.

"I'll take care of you…" I whispered.


	38. Sushi

**Chapter 37**

**Hey! So yeah…I've been finding time to update. Thanks for the reviews, guys! They really mean a lot. And you can give constructive criticisms if you think there's anything I lack. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this:**

"S-s-so…um…" Currently, Nagihiko and I were seated on his bed, both looking at the papers from the envelope with flushing faces.

I was reviewing him for health since the test is the day after tomorrow, and from the looks of it, he couldn't go to school tomorrow. He was still too sick, even though I already nursed him.

"STD is transmitted because of h-h-human sexual behavior, including v-v-va-…o-…a-a-an-…" He stuttered, his face turning into a deeper shade of red when he started to mumble the v, o and a (not that his face isn't already red from being sick)

"Listen, Nagihiko. I don't think I could tutor you with this. Review it on your own" I stated. He turned to me, his face still red from embarrassment.

"O-okay…" He mumbled before stacking the piles of paper together and shoving them into the envelope. After that, he turned to me with a face full of curiosity.

"Rima, just out curiosity, why are you still here? I mean, knowing you, you'd leave me after finishing what you're supposed to do because you…hate me, remember?" He asked.

Rhythm, who actually witnessed my careless little act just awhile ago, smirked then chuckled from behind Nagihiko. I fiddled with the hem of my skirt, silently swearing to kill Rhythm later on.

"Um…you see…I don't really hate you. I just have this strong will to greatly dislike you" I pointed out. I wouldn't admit it yet. It'd be stupid. A light chuckle emitted from Nagihiko's lips. I turned to him, silently screaming- _what the heck are you laughing around for, purple head?_

"Your face…" He pointed at me. Instinctively, I brought my palm to my cheeks, thinking that something stuck there.

"Your face when you said that. It looked pretty funny, with your cheeks puffed up and red and all…" then he thought about it, "actually, it was pretty cute" He said, somehow causing my cheeks to flush again.

I was about to reply when…omigod, my stomach rumbled. _loud_. Nagihiko, Rhythm and I fell silent then froze. That is until Rhythm's annoying face (that greatly resembles Nagihiko's) smirked at me.

"Looks like someone's hungry" He snickered. I scoffed then crossed my arms, hoping that I didn't look embarrassed at all.

"Well I hadn't had any snacks yet. When was the last time you ate?" I murmured. Nagihiko thought about this then silently muttered, "_Last night…_"

His reply caused me to gawk.

"W-what…?"

"Last night. Nagi hadn't had any breakfast or lunch yet" Rhythm said. This caused me to glare at Nagihiko.

"You're stupid! How can you not eat anything when you're sick like that?" I growled. He was taken aback but I didn't mind that then strut off the room. Before I could leave the room, Nagihiko stopped me.

"Wait! Where are you going?" He asked in an almost panicked voice. I glowered at him.

"I'm going to make something for you to eat!" I spat. This caused Nagihiko's pupils to contract in fear.

"W-what…?"

Ignoring his plead for repetition, I walked off then, after a lot of looking around, found the kitchen. Of course, it was big. Just like the rest of his 'house'.

..Oh! And guess who I found standing there?

"Mei!" I waved- the action was a little too friendly on my part. She gave me a glare of suspicion, making me remember that I'm supposed to detest her- not be thankful. After remembering this, I gave her a little stare before walking towards the (large, walk-in) pantry.

"Hey! What're you doing here, midget?" She growled.

I looked around the pantry, hoping to find something I could make.

"Making food for Nagihiko" I said as a pack of seaweed caught my eye.

"What? Who are you to do that for him? Must you know that _I _am his _fiancé_?" She snarled. I felt my heart sink as she said that. Obviously, I don't have a chance…

"Um…yeah. I know" I said, trying to sound like I didn't care. I grabbed the seaweed pack then placed it on the table.

"…What to make…" I whispered. Mei scooted next to me, her face filled with curiosity. Suddenly, her eyes widened.

"Why not make sushi?" She suggested. Suddenly, she stopped to make sure she'd glare at me. "…Not that I'm helping you or anything. I'm just worried about Nagi-kin not eating is all- and I can't cook for him!"

My eyes flashed.

"Eh? Then you can't make a good wife!" I teased. My statement caused Mei to twitch.

"We're a rich family so he'll not need a wife that knows how to cook! All we need is a chef"

"It's a bonus if the wife knows how to cook. From what I heard, it's actually a turn-off if she doesn't" I smirked whilst getting some rice from the rice cooker then placing them in a bowl. Then, I stared at them all.

"You need mangoes" Mei pointed out. I decided to just take her advice without thanking her. I peered at the pantry again and smiled when I saw the basket of fruits. Happily, I walked over then got one green mango.

"…and I think sushi would be good with…chips!" She added. Ah! Sushi with chips. I didn't know that these are the ingredients. I got a bag of hot cheetos then poured them over the bowl of rice. This caused Mei to gasp and me to smirk.

"I-I didn't know that that's how you do it!" She exclaimed. I grimaced.

"It's simple to make sushi" I said.

I could feel heat radiating in the room as the two of us started to duel on who can cook better by tossing in the ingredients we think is right- onions, matcha, powdered orange juice, jellybeans…fried rice (from the freezer)

"What do we do now…?" I wondered out loud as Mei and I stared at our 'masterpiece'. Suddenly, she snapped her fingers.

"We place it on the seaweed, roll the seaweed and stick it together with tape!"

And so we placed our rice mixed with various ingredients on the sushi, rolled it, then kept it still with masking tape.

"I-I wonder if it's done…" Mei stuttered. I shook my head.

"It's not. We need to heat it in the microwave for one minute" I lectured. It's a good thing that we knew how to use the microwave.

When it was done, we cheered.

"You taste it first" She told me. I rolled my eyes.

"That's not how it goes. Nagihiko should definitely be the one to try it out first. It's basic"

I am such a genius.

Mei and I walked side-by-side yet kept our distances from each other. I held onto the tray of sushi while Mei just followed because…I don't really know why she's following. When I stopped in front of Nagihiko's room, Mei looked down.

Wait- why isn't she giggling in delight?

"Y-you go ahead. I don't think I can face Nagi-kin yet after all…" She whispered. I eyed her, thinking whether I should follow my good conscience and not leave her behind whilst slamming the door into her face. Finally, I decided to be the good little angel that I am and place the food down before asking her,

"Why don't you go see him…?"

She stared at me at first, probably wondering if she could trust me or not. I guess that she also decided to follow her good conscience because she cleared her throat for an explanation.

"I-I can't face him after he rejected my kiss. I really thought that he liked me. We've known each other for years. I've been so nice to him so why…?"

I was honestly impressed with her. If it were me, I wouldn't drop my dignity so easily in front of a rival. However, now's not the time to point that out. I also definitely did _not_ want to comfort her by saying, 'I'm sure that he likes you but he just doesn't know it yet'. Yes, it's the most common thing to say but it didn't apply to us now.

I sighed before lifting my hand then slapping her across the face.

A loud 'SLAP' sound echoed through the mansion's halls, and a mortified looked found its way to Mei's face before she stared back at me with a gaping mouth. I took a deep breath.

"Listen. Don't be so dramatic and depressed just because of one guy. I'm sure Nagihiko is a great…he's an amazing guy- but I'm sure that there's someone else for you. Trust me, he'll also be great. I mean, a girl like you deserves someone amazing. Nagihiko's not the only guy in this world!"

Mei understood what I said. Her eyes were already widening in realization, but I failed to notice this and continued to ramble on…

"I mean…yes, he's cute but he's an annoying purple head who always gets on my nerves. You should see him when Kirishima's around. He gets really jerky and stupid. And he doesn't even know how to rest!"

Nagihiko opened his door to see what was going on but I didn't notice.

"Also, when I first met him as Nadeshiko and I didn't even know that _she_ was actually a he, he was a _burriko_. You know…like you when I first met you. He's also incredibly cocky. I mean, with his evil smirks and-"

"Rima, it's not good to backstab people, you know" _Finally _I noticed him behind me. A look of amusement was planted on his face.

"Don't eavesdrop!" I yelled. Nagihiko simply smirked.

"How could I not when you're basically screaming out your rant"

"Nagi-kin!" Mei's eyes sparkled with delight as she literally tackled him to the ground. Nagihiko looked shocked but he simply hugged her back (thought his eyes were still wide).

"Listen, Nagi-kin. I decided that I will work harder to make you like me and if you reject me again, _that's_ when I'll find someone else" then she hugged him again, "…but that'll be so hard to do because you're so cute!"

I decided to help Nagihiko out. I pulled her of him while saying, "He fainted just now. Give him a break!"

When everything was settled- Nagihiko was in bed while Mei and I were on either side of him. I handed him the sushi roll with a sweet smile.

"Mei and I made this for you!" I said. At the mention of this, Nagihiko shifted uncomfortably in his place.

"Um…thanks. I'll eat it later"

"But Nagi-kin, we worked so hard to make it! We want to see your expression of delight when you first taste it!" She cooed, somehow causing me to twitch. Nagihiko sighed before taking the sushi. He looked incredibly reluctant.

Wow. I feel so trusted…

"U-um…Rima-chan, I'm not really hungry…"

I glared at him, causing shivers to run down his spine. He fingered the roll for awhile then sniffed it. He gulped before finally biting into it. A strange expression crossed his face. It was something I've never seen before.

"It's _good_ isn't it?" I glowered. He seemed to be having a hard time swallowing it so he just slowly nodded with shut eyes. This caused Mei and me to smile in satisfaction.

"I knew we did a good job!" Mei cheered.

Suddenly, Nagihiko's phone beeped. Nagihiko hurriedly grabbed it. Hey, it's like he doesn't even like my sushi roll…

He looked at the caller ID before placing the phone on his ear. When he spoke, his voice has gone up by several octaves.

"Hello, Amu-chan!"

At the mention of Amu, I felt my body heat up. He'd better _not_ take this chance to be Amu's best friend. _She's mine_!

However, when his face started to shift from calm and happy to shocked and worried, I shook the thoughts off.

"You don't need to call Rima. She's with me. We'll be there, Amu-chan!" She said urgently. When she shut the phone, she turned to Mei then said in that high, girly voice, "Hanawa-san, there's an emergency between the guardians. Please stay here. Rima, let's go!" He said before getting up and heading towards the dressing room.

Mei and I stared the closet door where he's in.

I don't want him to go yet.

He's still sick…


	39. Kairi's a traitor?

**Chapter 38**

I carefully watched Nagihi-err…_Nadeshiko_ as we made our way to the rest of the guardians. He (currently she) was wearing a white blouse, jeans and rubber shoes. One could easily tell that he's still sick by the way his face flushed in an unnatural way and by the way his voice was a bit hoarse when he spoke.

"Baka. I already told you to stay in your place. It's not like you'll be of any help. You can't charanari with Rhythm and you pink chara is still in her egg. Also, you're sick" I said, hoping that my mean words would hide my worry.

Nagihiko shrugged.

"I want to be of some use somehow. I won't be a bother…" He stated. We continued to run to the place, which I have no clue of where it is. Nagihiko was leading the way. I was simply trudging behind him.

Suddenly, purple-head made an abrupt stop causing me to slam into his back. We were now only a few meters from the park's entrance.

"Listen, Rima. I don't know how it happened but_ Yaya_ found out who the person that stole Ran is…" He sighed. My eyes widened in shock, although I'm not sure if it's because _Yaya_ found out or if it's because the thief was finally caught. I didn't know how to reply to what he had said.

"Rima…" Nagihiko started, "the thing is…_Kairi's _the thief…"

That's not really that big of a surprise. Kairi's always been suspicious. And that magenta item he hid behind him one time could be…

"I get it now!" I screeched. Nagihiko was taken aback by my reaction but didn't comment on it. Instead, he turned his back on me, causing his long ponytail to swing.

"Rima, character transform" He ordered. As much as I wanted to get mad at him and disobey, I knew that right now, he knew what he was doing. Before we got here, we managed to pass by my house to pick Kusukusu up. She was sitting on my shoulder until she heard Nagihiko's order.

"Rima! Let's go!" She cheered.

I glared at Nagihiko before muttering, "I won't follow you again. You just wasted you coupons on this order"

…Then, I felt my body fall into a pit of light. I inhaled as the strange feeling of charanari washed over me. When it was done, I jumped in front of Nagihiko with arms crossed.

"So where are they?" I demanded. He pointed at the sky with an-_are you stupid or what?_- look. I scrunched my brows before looking up at where he was pointing. To my dismay, a large group of x-eggs were gathered in the sky.

"Let's just say that they're pretty close by" He smirked. I pretended that I didn't hear him then headed towards the park.

"Ah! Rima!" Amu yelled as she saw me. I was about to reply until I saw the scene.

Utau and Kairi were standing together with x-eggs gathering around them.

I was about to exclaim but Nagihiko beat me top it.

"Sanjo-kun! Y-you're a part of Easter?"

Ah, no. No he's not. In fact, that's why he's standing next to Utau right now whilst summoning millions of x-eggs; _in fact_, that's why he stole Ran from Amu, purple-headed freak!

"Yes" I decided to keep my answer short.

Kairi ran to the black van in the back which then sped away the moment he got in.

"He can't do that!" Yaya yelled as she attempted to go after it, only to trip. I stood there, not really knowing why.

"He has Ran!" Amu screamed. _Ah_! So that's why.

Instinctively, I grabbed Nagihiko's hand then dragged him with me.

"Leave Kairi to us, Amu! You handle Utau" I yelled; I decided to ignore Amu's little complaints about 'How tough and scary' Utau was and continued to follow the van. Nagihiko must've thought of something because he forced his hand off mine then ran towards the speeding car. He was fast, so he probably character changed with Rhythm, and the car didn't go too fast- maybe they were taking us for advantage because we don't have any vehicle with us...

Suddenly, Nagihiko jumped in front of the speeding car and I felt my heart stop.

"NAGIHIKO!" I screamed. The van made a loud honk before making an abrupt stop right before Nagihiko. At that moment, I felt my legs lose its strength so I fell down. However, Nagihiko still seemed to have his presence of mind.

"Rima, now!" He yelled for me to do something.

"I couldn't even move after what you did, tea-bag!" I barked. A green blur passed by me and I smiled when I saw Kukai. It looks like he managed to character transform.

"Nice outfit" I commented.

The van attempted to go past Nagihiko but I, finally finding my strength, tied it up with my rope dancer to keep it from moving away.

"Kukai now!" Nagihiko yelled for Kukai to do something. Anything to keep this van from moving. A little smile formed its way to his face when Nadeshiko said his name and I couldn't help but snicker.

"Golden victory shoot!" A fiery golden soccer ball hit all four wheels of the van causing it all to flatten. At that moment, Kairi stepped out. Honestly, I thought that he was going to surrender. That is, until he held out Ran's egg which was now covered with a strange masking tape.

"If you come any closer, I will crush her" He threatened. I could literally hear Ran crying from inside her egg.

"Ran!" Kusukusu cried.

"W-why the heck would you take Ran?" I growled. He hesitated. Obviously he did not know whether or not to answer. Finally, he sighed.

"Ran is the only chara that can cleanse x-eggs. With her out of the way, Easter could continue its plot and you wouldn't be in the way"

I bit my lips. I really didn't know what to do currently. Same with Nagihiko and Kukai. One little squeeze and Ran's gone. There is _no way_ I'm ever going to hurt Amu's feelings.

"K-Kairi, please!" Was all I could mutter. He pushed his glasses up then backed away from us.

"Queen, it's stupid of you to do that. Do you really think that a please can help you in a situation such as this?"

He took another step back and I decided to take risk and step forward. This caused Kairi to flinch.

"Why are you doing this?" I decided to just ask. He smirked at the three of us before muttering,

"Because it's impossible for someone like me to go against my sister's will"

When he said this, my mind immediately thought of only one boy- Nagihiko. He had no rights to go against his family. He's been living his whole life pretending to be a girl. He loved dancing but he couldn't bring himself to enjoy it because of resurfacing memories. He's small, fragile and weak against the entire family but…

"It doesn't matter what they think because you're who you are. Don't let them make you be someone you're not. Kairi, yes, you still get to use your sword for your sister against us guardians but…do you really enjoy it?"

_Does he really enjoy traditional Japanese dances? He would but…they make it torture for him…_

"If you try to analyze it, Mashiro's got a point!" Kukai snapped his fingers.

Nagihiko remained silent. After awhile, though, he sighed.

"I wouldn't want to compare situations with you Sanjo-kun, but my family has this strange tradition to rid of males because they are considered useless because they can't do traditional feminine Japanese dance, which is the strength of the Fujisaki. You shouldn't be weak, and I _know_ that you're just afraid to disobey your sister but Sanjo-kun, you can't let her take control of your life forever!"

A strange expression crossed Kairi's face. He would open his mouth from time to time but nothing would come out.

"I-I can't…"

"Kairi!" We heard the voice of a woman yell. We all turned, only to shriek at the sight of a terribly familiar-looking girl.

"Y-Y-Y-YUKARI-BAKA-SENSEI?" She winced at the nickname but we didn't pay attention to that. What mattered now is the Yukari-baka was working with Easter, and therefore, Easter is twice as scary.

"Kairi! Finish them off! The plane is about to arrive any minute!"

"W-wait, nee-chan…"

"Kairi…" She gave him _that_ menacing glare. Kairi looked down, deep in thought. Suddenly, he looked up with a determined look in his face.

"I'm not getting on the plane, nee-chan" He said. As if on cue, Amu, along with the rest came running in. Utau was already with Yukari by the time they got to us and Kairi walked over to our side. He took the tape off Ran's egg and the chara from inside thrust out with a 'Yay!'.

Yukari-baka froze, but when the helicopter came in, she shook her head.

"Fine! Have fun with your goody-goody friends!" She growled before she and Utau hung unto the rope ladder and were brought up.

After that, Amu had transformed with Ran and cleansed all the x-eggs in the area. The bearer and chara were glad to be united, and everyone were there to share the joy with Amu. However, I noticed a fake smile planted across Nagihiko's lips the whole time.

When no one was looking at him, he walked away with hands in his pocket and his shoulder sagged. Automatically, I went after him.

"Kairi's lucky…" He whispered as a sad smile spread across his face.


	40. To get back at him

_**Chapter 40**_

**So… I haven't been updating for another LONG time. I was motivated and tried to write chapter 40 for around three days before- right after reading this classic book (Jayne Eyre) but then it got deleted and I lost all motivation.**

**I'm trying to do it again, though, and hopefully, it's good. It's still short, though, because I'm still trying to get back to writing.**

**On with the story!**

I wobbled my way to school- still immensely tired from the events that took place the other day, if I may add.

The rest of the guardians was ahead of me. I don't know how they do it. Aren't they tired?

"Oh my, oh my! We'd better stop, everyone! Little chibi Rima seems to have trouble keeping up with us!" Nagi-_err_-…_Gaylord _decided to say. Well, he seems to be feeling better. He's obviously not sick anymore, seeing that he's starting to insult me again.

I glared daggers at him but he only gave me a secretive smirk.

That's it. I decided to torture him a little by starting this little rumor.

I tiptoed so I was (almost) an eye-level with everyone.

"I have to tell you all something. You'd better listen. Especially you, Amu, _Nadeshiko_…" I silently said. I tried to look as serious as possible- and it was working. Everyone was eagerly leaning in but Nagihiko saw through my act and pulled away almost immediately.

"Yesterday…" I started, "while I was changing in the girl's locker room- still very tired and defenseless because of Easter, if I may add…"

"Sorry…" Kairi murmured but I continued, anyway.

"…a _girl_ came in with me" I tried to resist the urge to chuckle. "Of course, I didn't pay much attention to it because she's a _girl_. Well, at least that's what I thought.."

Nagihiko now looked like he was trying to analyze things. Obviously, everything I was saying was suspicious to him.

I continued, "…turns out this girl was a perverted boy, so beware! There's a perverted cross dresser somewhere in this school!"

Amu and Yaya pulled away with a loud gasp, Tadase just remained silent while Kairi and Kukai just whispered amongst themselves.

"Well, whoever thought of this must be very intellectual. I mean, what amazing strategy! Normally, boys would only peek through the window but this guy has done it in a way that goes beyond what we expected!" Kairi said, causing Nagihiko to pale and Yaya to shriek.

Immediately, the ace started banging Kairi on the back.

"Class president! You're not supposed to be amazed by the pervert! You should be worried about the girls! Like Yaya for example! Bad perverts could just sneak in and peek at her!"

Kairi cleared his throat.

"Ace, sorry to say but you are a late bloomer. Your proportions and anatomy is not yet interesting enough for a guy to look at, hence, you may rest assured. However, I'm worried about-" Kairi was cut short when Yaya glomped him on the back then started to literally bang her fists on his head.

"Wah! Class pres, you meanie! Yaya's still a girl! A girl!"

I was honestly amazed by the sight. However, Nagihiko grabbed my wrist then silently pulled me away from the group.

"R-Rima, what're you doing?" He stuttered. I put out my best innocent expression and then sent sparkles flying at his face.

"What do you mean, _Nadeshiko_…? What I speak of is the truth! A pervert is going around school, dressing up with the girls in their locker rooms, goes on sleepovers with them, talks about stuff with them-mmf" Nagihiko, now with a paled face, covered my mouth.

"Rima, do you mind not making it sound like I _wanted _to do all those stuff?" He said, slightly shivering. It was my turn to smirk.

"Calm down, purple head. It was only to get back at you…" I whispered whilst making my way to the school building.

"It's not like I'm ever going to bring it u-…" I felt my entire figure freeze up the second I took a step inside the school. For some reason, it didn't look…normal.

I mean…normally…

Posters with warnings of perverted cross-dressers don't normally fly around the halls or are stuck to the walls.

Also…

Girls don't normally talk about _nothing but_ disgusting cross-dressing perverts.

"Rima-tan! Na-chi!" Yaya came running towards us.

"Yaya, Amu-chi and the others thought that we'd spread the warning to keep everyone safe!" She informed us before skipping away.

I gulped then turned to Nagihiko, who sighed.

"Rima, if anyone asks, tell them I'm still sick after all and couldn't go to school…" He said, walking away.

At that time, my mind wasn't organized so I wasn't sure what the right the thing to do was. I just stuck my hand out the waved.

"Okay. Bye and…sorry…?"


	41. The crossdressing pervert

**Chapter 41**

"Oh no! What shall I do? A pervert is coming after me, Saaya Yamabuki! I need a nice, strong and handsome man to protect me. Oh where on earth is the twin of the horrid Nadeshiko?"

I gagged in my seat as Saaya continued to rant. It was disgusting to listen to her get all…dramatic. The last thing I want just right after I finally admitted my feelings towards Nagihiko (to myself, at least) is another girl coming after him.

"What are you talking about, Yamabuki-san? I am Nagi-kin's fiancé. If there's anyone he's going to protect from a cross-dressing molester, that's going to be me!"

"No, it's going to be me!"

"No me!"

"Me!"

So let's count. Currently, Nagihiko has…one…two…

Two girls coming after him. Well, let's not count myself, aye? Yes, I do like him, but…

"_No! I have a better body so the pervert would try to molest me first, hence, Nagihiko-sama will rescue me first!"_

"_You're wrong! I'm better built! Perverts would come in swarms to molest me! Nagi-kin would save me first!"_

I do like him but…It's not like I'm trying as hard as those two. Like I said, it's just a crush. It'll be over soon enough, and then I'm finally out of the picture.

I looked around the classroom. Everyone was staring at both Saaya and Mei as they argued about the most pointless things.

"_I'm telling you! The cross-dressing molester is after me! Mashiro-san (she's so flat!) being his first victim was a mistake! He probably thought that it was me in the locker room!"_

"_No! You're wrong. When the cross-dressing molester found out that I transferred to this school, that was when he decided to launch his attack! He's trying to molest me! Not you!"_

"_Okay then! we'll see who gets peeped at first!"_

"_Yes!"_

"_Winner gets to keep Nagihiko-sama!"_

"_Of course!"_

Stupid Mei didn't even think that this "Cross-dressing pervert" could actually be Nagihiko.

Anyway, when I realized that this fight was getting them nowhere, I decided to butt in: "Would both of you shut up or the cross-dressing molester will molest neither of you!"

And so, the room immediately fell silent. I received some grateful looks from my classmates before they all looked at the front, where our college math substitute, who is teaching a class without a guide for the first time, stood paralyzed without a clue on what he should do.

Math class was done surprisingly fast. We all brought our clothes then headed for the next subject, which is what I detest the most- _gym_.

The girls and the boys separated and went to their respective locker rooms.

There's no surprise that Saaya and Mei spent most of their dress-up time nearly nude instead of trying to put the clothes on.

Heck, I was already tying my shoelace and they were still flashing around in their undies.

Note to self: Get close to Saaya, and you'll end up with the same psycho-sickness as her. Mei wasn't _this_ bad before; unless she's finally showing her true colors, that is…

"Hey, guys! Look here!" Ai was looking through Nadeshiko's closet. She brought out a skateboard from inside.

"This was hidden there!" She said. Everyone started to crowd around her, whilst Saaya got changed because she clearly didn't care about Nagihiko's female alter ego.

"Oh. That's her brother's. Nadeshiko must've left it here. I'll give that to him" Mei whispered, grabbing it and holding it close to her chest- a soft smile and a blush forming in her face. I just rolled my eyes at this.

Suddenly, we heard a whistle a whistle from the gym.

"Girls, it's taken you long enough! Time to get out or we're starting without you!"

Psh. Start without me for all I care.

We all came out- dressed and ready. Of course, just like Nagihiko, Mei just_ had_ to _have_ lightning fast changing skills.

"Okay, class. For today, we're going to be testing out your agility and ability to dodge!"

Oh no…

"Today, we're going to be playing dodge ball!"

Shoot me. Shoot me now!

With an ear-piercing whistle, the game started. In the team I was at, there was a lot of boys. I bet that the teachers put me there, knowing that I sucked. One me is equal to half the team out. I'm that bad, I make the team lose unintentionally all the time.

Also, the boys have this tendency to protect me from the balls most of the time because of my poor dodging skills.

Unfortunately, When Kio Himezawa- dodge ball star player- threw the ball not one fan boy was able to protect me, and I was too slow to protect myself. I ended up getting hit just below the chest- real hard, if I may add.

I fell to the ground and was unable to move. When the teacher noticed this, he blew the whistle.

"Someone bring Mashiro-san to the clinic!" He yelled out. Almost immediately, a gazillion hands- all of them belonging to boys- shot up. However, just one thought of picking me up right away.

Kirishima carried me bridal style.

"Does it hurt if I hold you like this, Mashiro-san?" He asked.

I blushed then looked away from him.

"No. But I can walk"

"Nonsense! The two of you march up to the clinic right now!" Coach stated.

I made a mental note to glare at him later on, but right now it just hurt too much that the only expression that I could make was the 'just-hurry-up-and-take-me-there-!-I'm-dying-of-pain!' expression.

Kirishima was fast, but clearly not as fast as Nagihiko. He laid me on one of the beds, closed the curtains, then went out to get some sort of medicine from the nurse. I just lay there, waiting for the medicine.

A few seconds later, I grew impatient. What the hell was taking Kirishima so long?

I decided to use the little strength that I have to fully open the window beside my bed. If I'm going to be here for awhile, then I might as well keep the ventilation good. I was being roasted!

A few more seconds passed. It was finally starting to cool down, but I was starting to get bored. I've been looking at the ceiling the whole time and there're no interesting dots in it. It's just a…clean, white ceiling. With a sigh, I turned to the window, where I bit my lips to keep myself from screaming in surprise.

Nagihiko- still in Nadeshiko's attire- was going through the window that I opened. _How _did I notice him?

"Uh…I can…explain this?" He whispered. I narrowed my eyes at him.

"What are you doing here, stupid! I thought you went home! If you were to get caught, you'd get-mmf! Mmf! Mmf!"

He covered my mouth with his hands then leaned in to whisper, "Do you want me to get caught? I'm just here to get something…"

"Mashiro-san! What's going o-…oh…?" I heard the voice of Saaya from the now-opened curtains. Footsteps started to follow behind, and I could almost imagine what the other two can say about this.

"Nagi-kin? What're you-" This one immediately covered her mouth after realizing her grave mistake of calling him that.

"Nagi…kin? As in…Nagihiko? Fujisaki-san, what is going on?" This one sounded seriously shocked and confused.

It was then that I realized the awkward position Nagihiko and I are in- and the thing is, he's currently dressed as Nadeshiko.

Nagihiko and I felt our faces pale as we turned to the three faces who were clearly asking for an explanation.

Finally, Nagihiko got off me then let out a humungous sigh.

"I knew that I never should've come for that stupid skateboard afterall…" He murmured- not even bothering to disguise his voice anymore. I decided to just talk.

"Um…We can explain so…at least try to listen…okay…?"


	42. A little rivalry wouldn't hurt, right?

**Chapter 42**

I didn't want all of this to happen. Honestly! It's just that he's so smart and annoying- he always has a comeback to my lame little insults. I wanted to fluster him a little, but I never wanted it to be like this!

It's been approximately twenty seconds since we've told Saaya and Kirishima-kun the truth about Nagihiko. I found it strange how he didn't think of some lie, though, considering that his mind normally works like a machine.

I shook my head, causing the blonde curls to bounce.

I shouldn't think that. I'm supposed to feel guilty.

I risked a glance at Kirishima-kun and Saaya. Both's eyes were wide open- their mouth were also left hanging, making it easy for a fly to fly in anytime. Mei, however, was just shifting in her seat uncomfortably. I decided to peek at Nagihiko. He didn't have his head hanging down like me and Mei. Instead, he was looking at the two straight in the eyes, as if waiting for their reactions.

"S-so let me get this straight. Fujisaki-san…you're a…guy…?" Kirishima finally managed to ask- his voice was slightly croaked and it's as if was merely choking the words out.

"Yes" Nagihiko answered. His lip formed a straight line and his hands would slightly clench in his lap from time to time.

When he answered, the air around suddenly felt heavy.

"S-so…the cross-dressing pervert is…" Saaya trailed off- red in the face. At this statement, Nagihiko lost his cool. A red hue made its way to his face as he waved his hands just before his chest in panic.

"N-no! No! Not at all! Umm…"

"There's no 'cross-dressing pervert'. I merely made that story up to get back at Nadeshiko because he has this tendency to really tick me off. I didn't mean for it to end like this, though, so…" I turned to Nagihiko and, with much reluctance, bowed. "I'm sorry…"

I swear in the name of Kami, this is the last time I'll ever bow to him again.

There was silence once again in the room. I decided not to talk and just let the two seep in the truth.

Kirishima was the first to come to the conclusion, though. I could tell because of the sudden change of his tone and voice when he suddenly stood up then said, "Then would you mind telling us why you were on top of Mashiro-san awhile ago?"

Suddenly, a little glint found its way to Nagihiko's eye. He stood up as well then crossed his arms.

"Why would that bother you, Kirishima-kun?"

Kirishima's eyes widened, not only because of Nagihiko sudden change of personality, but also because of how low his voice is in comparison to Nadeshiko's.

"U-u-uhm…you see…" Different shades of red made its way to Kirishima's face, causing Nagihiko to sneer.

"You like her, don't 'cha!"

Kirishima flinched.

"Well, let me tell you something…" To my surprise, Nagihiko drooped an arm around me then pulled me close to him. "Rima-chan likes me!"

The statement caught me by surprise. Everyone in the room paled, although Nagihiko only smirked. Not knowing what to do, I pulled away from him then slammed him with a nearby stool on the face.

"Idiot! Why the heck are you so confident?"

He fell on the bed and at that moment, a nurse walked in.

"Oh my! Looks like the young lady needs some medicine on her face!"

And so, I ended up drowning in my own guilt. This is too much. What the heck happened to my cool personality who'd think before she'd act?

The day didn't really end as bad as I thought, though.

Saaya is much more reliable than I thought. Once she found out that Nadeshiko was actually Nagihiko, she actually started to fan girl then promised something about- "Not holding it against him when they're married". Kirishima just gave Nagihiko a cold stare (which Nagihiko returned with another cold stare), and Mei…promised to have a meal ready for him when he returns home.

When my stomach began to feel better, I decided to walk home. Nagihiko offered to come with me and after looking at the bandage in his nose, I decided not to argue and just let him.

The air was cool that late afternoon. Nagihiko was just beside me. He decided to let his hair down because, according to him, his neck was freezing.

When the silence between the two of us prolonged, he started to whistle, much to my annoyance. I decided to stop it by starting a conversation.

"Hey. Why were you so sure that I liked you?" I asked, trying to sound like I didn't like the idea. Nagihiko just looked at me.

"Don't you like Kirishima-kun?"

A strange, heavy feeling washed over me when he said it casually like that. When I didn't reply, he continued. "A little rivalry would make him cling to you more. If he's not so sure of his feelings yet, some rivalry will make him more sure of it. That's how a guy thinks"

I felt my heart sink.

"You always believe that you're right…" I murmured. Nagihiko stopped then looked at me. Hesitantly, he brought he placed a hand in front of him- as if he wanted to comfort me but wasn't sure if patting me or anything was the right thing to do.

But what do I look like right now? Do I look like I need to be comforted? Do I look…hurt…?

I don't want to look hurt.

I sniffed a bit then glared at him.

"You were so sure that I like Kirishima-kun. Well, you're right, I like him. A lot!" I didn't want to scream or yell. I wanted my voice to sound calm, but by trying to make it do, it ended up sounding more cold and monotonous.

He was taken aback by my reaction.

"A-are you mad?"

"Yes. I don't need your help, Nagihiko, so don't butt in" I said before turning my back on him. I continued to walk home- feeling wrong and humiliated, if I may add.

_I rubbed my palms against my arms then coughed as a cold wind passed by me._

"Honestly, that guy. For someone that's so smart, I thought that he's been getting hints. Maybe he only thought of me as a little sister…"

_I shivered then wrapped a scarf around my neck._

It's not good that I even liked him. Okay- erase all those feelings. It's pointless. By the end of it, he's just another boy that happens to cross-dress a lot.

He's so full of himself.

Not to mention evil.

How can I be such an idiot? Isn't he in-love with Amu? But wait- I don't see him blushing and clinging around her anymore.

Wah! What is wrong with me?

By the end of the day, he's just Nagihiko- my rival to Amu's friendship.

I _should not_ be liking something as he-she and terrible as him!

_I continued to trudge on, not minding the specks of snow beginning to flood the ground._

Why do I have such terrible taste?

I gasped then came to an abrupt stop. The place didn't look familiar anymore, and there were no houses nearby either.

I felt my heart skip a beat.

Suddenly, I found myself running around aimlessly. I was hopelessly lost! How the hell could this happen?

I reached into my pocket then grabbed my phone. I tried calling my mom but there was no signal from where I was.

"Drat" I muttered under my breath. I should've paid attention to my surroundings. I blame stupid purple-head that I'm lost in the first place.

I basically just circled the entire place- panicked. Not only was it already so dark- the snow started to fall too.

After a few more hours of hopelessly wandering around, I gave up then sat by a tree.

It was terribly cold but I was also so sleepy. I yawned then let my eyes droop. A little nap wouldn't hurt…right?

When I came to, it was no longer freezing. In fact, I was in my bed with the blanket pulled over me. I looked at the window- it was wide open. When I looked under my blanket, I was still wearing my uniform- only it was damp.


	43. The date part 1

**Chapter 43**

"Rima! You okay?"

Amu scooted over to my side with a concerned look on her face. I let out a sneeze then blew my nose with my a tissue paper.

"Yeah, I'm fine- just slept in the snow most of the night is all…" I let out another sneeze.

The two of us walked towards our classes silently. That is, until Amu started a _very _uncomfortably topic of conversation: "So…are you and Kirishima together yet?"

I gagged.

"No" I thought of my answer then remembered what I told Nagihiko last night. I heaved a sigh then added, "…but…I want to"

Just as I feared, Amu stopped in her tracks then looked at me. She was stiff and her eyes showed a glint of excitement. Although she seemed to stop breathing at that very moment, her face was still pink- and her eyes, wide.

"Rima! Y-you just admitted your love for Kirishima-kun! R-Rima…I'm so…I'm so…" Panicked because her voice was so loud, I covered her mouth with my hands but it was too late. The students who happen to be passing by us heard everything and were now staring at me in both shock and…_shock_.

When class had started, everyone, and I mean_ everyone_ watched my every move. I wouldn't be surprised if the news had gotten to Kirishima already. Instinctively, I focused my attention on Nadeshiko, who was seated calmly on her place. When Saaya walked in, however, she stiffened.

"Mashiro-san!" I heard a giddy voice call from behind me. I turned, only to meet face-to-face with Kirishima-kun. He was smiling and his face was unusually red.

"Can I sit beside you?"

Silently, I made space for him and he seated rather comfortably.

He turned to me.

"Listen, Mashiro-san. Are you free this Saturday? If you are, do you want to…" He trailed off, all hints of confidence draining from his face. I bit my lip.

He'd better…not be…

"M-Mashiro-san can you…"

I bit my lip then shut my eyes. Kirishima said he liked me. Besides, he knew me since we were kids. He knew me more than Nagihiko. Maybe if I gave him a chance, I'll be happier.

"C-can you…"

'_What are you waiting for?'_ I'd ask myself. A kind gentleman is standing-err…_sitting_ right before me. He likes me, and I doubt that Nagihiko feels the same way. I inhaled then said, "Kirishima-kun, as long as you pay for everything, I'll go out with you this weekend"

As if they've all been listening to every air we breathed and every movement we made, everyone in class gasped in excitement. I glanced at Kirishima, who smiled widely then looked at Nagihiko, who was the only one in class who had his back on us.

I couldn't see his face or his reaction to this, but the fact that he didn't even look gave me the impression that he didn't care, and it hurt me- a lot.

Saturday

I got up that morning then forced a smile on my face.

'_I'm going to enjoy this.'_ I'd mumble repeatedly.

I'm going to enjoy my time with Kirishima and forget about my little problems and- gradually- my feelings for Nagihiko. After that, we'd go back to the way we were_- rivals_.

"Rima! Enjoy!" Kusukusu smiled. I smiled back at her then made my way downstairs. I sat on the couch then waited. My mom saw how I was dressed and her eyes widened.

"Why are you dressed like that?" She asked as she examined my blue floral dress and flats. I shrugged.

"I'm going on a date"

Mama whispered something she could say it aloud for me to hear, the doorbell rang.

I stood up then made my way to the door but mama had beat me to it.

"I'll go see what kind of boy this is first. You sit on the couch _way_ over there first" She was pointing at the black couch in the corner of our house. It was the oldest furniture in the house and was attempted to be sold plenty of times, but with its many cheap patched and tears, no one wanted it. I pouted before making my way there with only Kusukusu as my source of entertainment.

After awhile, my mom came back with a smile.

"He's alright" She said. I stood up then made my way to the door.

Kirishima told me about his basketball games and the such as we walked towards the cinema, and I pretended that I cared. When he noticed that I was getting bored, he asked me what movie I wanted to watch.

"Comedy. Anything with comedy" I said. He giggled at this statement.

"You never change, Rima-chan. You may be colder now, but underneath it all, you're still that same jolly comedy otaku!"

"Hey!"I groaned at him and he laughed. I let my expression soften and then laughed along.

During the movie

There weren't any pure gag comedy showing, but the only movie we found was a flick with romance and humor being its genre. As much as I detested the romance part, I was pretty glad that it was light. At the climax of the movie, I noticed how the girls all over the cinema were crying and clinging onto their dates.

"_So that's what girls do on dates…?" _I gagged in disgust to myself.

I snuck a glance at Kirishima and silently laughed a bit. He had his hand out, ready for someone to hold it and he sat upright- his back didn't touch the back of the chair.

Oh well. I might as well follow what the other girls are doing. I forced dramatic tears to fall of my eyes then moved towards him- ready to hug when suddenly, the foot of the person seated behind us got in the way. My dramatic fake tears stopped abruptly and I scooted away from the foot and Kirishima (much to Kirishima's great disappointment)

"Oh, I'm sorry little miss? Were you planning to cling to him like the other girls in this cinema? I didn't mean to ruin the moment. I'm sorry" the person whose foot was now down grumbled bitterly. I wanted to glare at this stranger for being very rude but it would be too dark for him to see. I also didn't want to reply because then that would ruin the other lovey-dovey couples' moment thus _I_ would then be the rude one.

I just turned my back on the ill-bred stranger then focused my attention on the screen, ignoring Kirishima's little sigh of disappointment.

Before we knew it, the movie was almost at its end. I was quite glad that the couple in the movie ended happily, but then I stiffened when I saw all the couples in the cinema giving each other either a peck on the cheek or a kiss on the lips.

I looked at my childhood friend Kirishima then, after inhaling, I leaned over to give him a peck on the cheek.

To my surprise, his cheeks weren't soft. In fact…it was incredibly hard…like rubber…

…rubber…

My eyes widened in realization and I pulled away in disgust. The stranger had put his foot just between the two of us again.

I kissed a shoe!

Kirishima looked at me in shock.

How humiliating!

"I'm sorry again. I didn't mean to put it there at that time too" The stranger chuckled. I felt anger boil at the pit of my stomach. I averted my eyes to the stranger but all I can see was the figure. By the looks of it he short hair and a cap on. Beside him was a girl- probably his date because of the way she clung unto him.

"Watch it" I grumbled menacingly. The boy didn't even flinch at my threat. Instead, he chuckled humorlessly then calmly stood up.

"The movie's nearly over so I'm going" He mumbled.

"Now you can do anything you want with your date. Happy?"

I watched in rage as the boy's figure grew smaller and smaller because of the distance. Suddenly, his date ran after him screaming, "Honey! Wait for me! Wait!" Much to everyone's annoyance.

After that, though, I decided not to make a move. Maybe it's okay if I don't turn out to be like those other couples in the cinema.


	44. Date part 2 This is all your fault

**Chapter 44**

**Once again, I took a…**_**little**_** while to update.**

**I needed to get inspiration, so I ended up making another Rimahiko fanfic entitled, 'Red'. Read it if you want to! It's AU.**

**Anyway, thanks for the reviews. They were one of the main reasons I wanted to continue updating! On with the story!**

* * *

"Order anything you'd like, Rima-chan?"

I sat across Kirishima in the most expensive restaurant in the mall. Its large menu nearly covered my entire face as I skimmed through the food options.

"Um…buttered chicken" I stopped when I saw the price then put the menu away.

"You are paying for everything, right?" I said. Kirishima smiled then nodded.

"Then I'd like some strawberry shake and ice cream too"

I observed the place while Kirishima ordered the food.

The walls were painted white and the linens were ecru. On every table lay a variety of spotless utensils and cups. Everything had class- even the background music, which sounded like a classic romantic piece by some old musician.

"Wow. Look at that girl's dress…" I sighed in envy as I watched a toned girl with velvet dress walk in. Kirishima followed my gaze and his face lit up.

"I know where to buy that dress. It comes in different sizes!" He grinned. I blinked a few times before resting my chin on my palms.

"No thanks. That's not my style, anyway…"

Silence ensured. To Kirishima, it seemed awkward. To me, it was just right. I'd rather not talk at the moment. The atmosphere that the restaurant gave off made me feel uncomfortable.

Everyone's being so romantic. Heck, the guy beside us is proposing to his girlfriend, and the couple behind us is leaning in to each other, about to have their first kiss.

I came here, eager to taste the food for free since I've always been curious. Kirishima followed me in, hoping that when we leave, we'll be more than just friends. Problem is, I wanted to be his friend and nothing more. I couldn't imagine myself having any romantic feelings for him, although I wanted to have.

He fidgeted with his glass while I observed the people.

I wouldn't say that they were wearing gowns or formal dresses, but their clothes were pretty decent and clean.

I caught sight of the loudest couple.

Well…it was only the girl that was loud.

Something about the way she clung unto her boyfriend ticked me off.

"Here's your order, ma'am" The waitress placed the plate on my side. She gave Kirishima a wink that I wasn't supposed to see before leaving.

"Enjoy!"

Oh. The food looks good. I held back all will to attack it and forced myself to look _proper_ as I cut the chicken into several pieces. I was on my twentieth bite when I noticed that Kirishima didn't have anything on his side of the table.

"Aren't you gonna eat?" I asked. He shook his head then blushed a bit.

"I ran out of money…"

I was given two options.

Continue eating like I want to and finish every last bite- ignoring Kirishima's incredibly hungry stare or…share some food with him.

With an inward sigh of disappointment, I pushed my plate towards him. Before he could protest, I said, "Don't decline my offer. And I'm not giving the entire thing to you. We're sharing" I smiled. He chuckled a bit, got his utensils then ate some of the portions.

We had some small talk. Honestly, I was enjoying it. Of course, the shake just had to ruin it. The flavor was a bit too…bland. I handed it to Kirishima.

"Do you think that this lacks sugar?" I asked. He took a sip, forgetting to ask for his own straw. I flushed a bit, knowing that that was an indirect kiss.

"No. It's actually good…"

I decided that I didn't want to endure the taste anyway.

"I'll go request for more sugar" I said, standing up.

I told him not to stand from the seat because someone else might take it and decided to look for a waitress myself. I found her walking towards the counter.

Of course, being the clumsy girl that I am, I just _had_ to trip and spill the shake all over some fancy girl's leather bag.

"Oops…" I mumbled.

She screamed at me then started freaking out, causing everyone to look. Normally, I would've taken her down but decided not to since I saw that her bag was a louis vuitton. Her boyfriend stood up. He was a tall, muscular man around six or more feet tall.

He was a giant compared to me. I hardly even reached five feet!

"Do you _know_ how expensive that bag is?" He grumbled.

_Now_ I would come up with some witty comeback, but the very sight of the man made my throat dry up. He hovered over me like I was some sort of food to eat.

"You're gonna have to pay for that!"

What to do…what to _freakin'_ do?

"Run…"

The blood rushed to my face when I heard the voice. Before I could even turn to see who said that, a warm hand grabbed my arm then hastily pulled me away from the couple.

Being dragged, I managed to see the back of the person. My eyes widened.

When you look at him closely, he's actually the boy from the theatre. He had the same cap over his head, the same body structure, and the same shoes (Which I would know since I kissed it)

From the corner of my eyes, I saw Kirishima stand up looking enraged and worried. The boy's girlfriend was tailing us, looking incredibly mad and jealous.

"Nagi-koi!" She screamed.

That was all it took for me to realize what was going on.

It was Nagihiko that got in the way of me and Kirishima's moment, and it is Nagihiko whose dragging me around like some sort of plush toy right now.

My deduction was proven when his cap fell off, revealing long locks of violet hair. We had no time to retrieve the dropped item, because when I looked back, we were being chased by the filthy rich man, his girlfriend, and his allies.

A few minutes and a lot of running later, we sat on a bench in who-knows-where to catch our breath. Nagihiko turned to me then smirked.

"Luckily, you're puny and light so you weren't much or a drag when I was pulling you" He stated. I felt a familiar feeling wash over me after his tease. It was this annoyed feeling I get all the time whenever he's around.

"You always make me feel so ticked" I grumbled. He laughed then said, "That's all you've got say after I saved you?"

Then a thought crossed my mind. I turned to Nagihiko then said in a syrupy and mocking tone, "Why were you following me?"

He froze, then after awhile said, "You're so straightforward when you ask questions"

I smirked then narrowed my eyes.

"So the Nagihiko Fujisaki has run out of witty comebacks, ei?"

He looked at me.

"It was all a coincidence. A coincidence"

"Even the theater?"

"A coincidence, like I said"

I was silent for awhile, before saying, "I never knew Saaya was your type, cross-dresser"

He paled. Jackpot!

"She's not. She insisted on coming with me"

"To do what?"

"To walk around the mall with no plans in mind, whatsoever…"

I stood up then turned to him. Although I tried to keep a stoic expression on my face, inside, I was giddy.

"Well, since we're hopelessly lost because of you, we might as well find our way back"

He was about to reply but something behind me that caught his eye caused him to freeze and turn pale.

"Um…I have this strange feeling that our homes aren't very far away…" He said shakily. I raised my brows. For Nagihiko to lose his cool, something big must be up.

Curious, I followed his gaze, and at what I saw, I assure you that I must've had the same look as Nagihiko.

"R-Rima…?" Amu was in the bench beside us.

Apparently, she was the only one in my group of friends that found the voice to speak.

Kukai, Yaya, Tadase, and Kairi had the same faces- _shocked_ and _ready to murder me with questions_.


	45. Her 'Twin'

**Chapter 45**

I had been eyeing Amu for several seconds, guffawing and shaking my head at her statement. I mean…

Me? Dating Nagihiko? Just…just no. Ew! I mean, I know that I like the guy but our relationship is nowhere near dating. Heck, he was with Saaya just a little while ago! Also, he _is_ clinging to me just to make Kirishima-kun jealous! There's no point pretending to myself that it doesn't offend me…

Why this little jerk-face is offending me…

"Anyway, Rima…" Amu mumbled as she shifted her gaze from Nagihiko to me. "Where is Kirishima-kun?"

I froze.

Oh dear oh dear oh dear oh dear oh dear…

I know that Amu sees Kirishima-kun as a good guy! She'd be sad if she realized that I left him…

"He's…uh…" I trailed off.

"Got lost! Rima got lost and now we're looking for him!" Nagihiko piped in. Yaya suddenly scurried before me and Nagihiko.

"Wow!" She squealed, her eyes sparkling. "Yaya didn't know that Naddy's brother and Rima-tan are so close! They don't even use honorifics to address each other!"

I saw Nagihiko glare at Tadase-kun when he sent the two of us a knowing smile –_cough_- a demonic smirk hidden behind an innocent smile –_cough_-

"We aren't close! This guy just so happened to pass by and I though that he was Nadeshiko at first and I decided to go along with him until I realized that he wasn't Nadeshiko and then-"

At that moment, Kirishima-kun came running towards the group, all the while screaming, "YOU!"

He pointed an accusing finger at Nagihiko when he finally made it to us. He stopped for a moment to catch his breath. All the while, six pairs of eyes bore into him.

"I finally caught up to you! How dare you run away with Rima-chan!"

Amu and Yaya raised their brows at me.

"Got lost, huh, Rima?"

"He just happened to be passing by huh, Rima-tan?"

Suddenly, Kukai ruffled Nagihiko's hair, causing the violet-haired boy to wince. "Calm down, everyone! I'm sure this guy just wanted to borrow the Queen for a moment!"

"But she is not an animate object to be passed around and-"

Kairi was cut off when the two boys started a staring contest.

"No need to get involved, Kirishima-kun" Nagihiko mumbled, his arms crossed.

"I'm just saving Rima-chan from a pervert who takes advantage of his disgusting skills to get closer to her…"

Nagihiko narrowed his eyes. "Disgusting?"

As Kirishima-kun's next sentence slowly progressed, Nagihiko's eyes slowly widened. "Yes. Disgusting because by using your creepy alter ego, you go to girl's locker rooms to see-"

Black plasma dashed right into a nearby tree, bursting into flames, hence, cutting Kirishima-kun off. Plenty screamed, others grabbed their kids while some just stood there in shock.

Kirishima-kun was one of the people who just stood there in shock.

"W-what was…?"

We, the guardians, slowly turned to the source of the plasma- an x egg that seemed to be holding a different, darker aura.

"W-why did the tree suddenly explode just now…? What are you all looking at?" Kirishima-kun asked as he followed our gaze- his eyes not locking on the black egg.

"Kirishima-kun…" I hissed. "Go somewhere far from here. I can't let you get hurt…"

At the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of the boy flush. He opened his mouth to argue but Amu pushed him away from us. I realized that if he hid in a place where he could see us, we would have to prepare a long explanation as to why Amu and the rest are all randomly transforming into crazy getups.

However, just as he was a few feet away from the group, a stray blast stabbed him in the back, causing him to fall unconscious.

"Kirishima-kun!" I yelled. Realizing that I didn't have Kusukusu with me, Tadase instructed me and Nagihiko to watch over the boy. The three of us headed to a space between two overlapping bushes. I watched in mild interest as my friends changed into their transformations, although my worry grew when Amu's _remake honey_ didn't have an effect on the egg.

"Tsk. Why won't that stubborn egg just get cleansed?!" I grumbled. Nagihiko slowly shook his head.

"I think I have an idea. Let's just hope that I'm wrong…"

Kukai attempted to distract the egg by riding the skateboard around, only to get blasted. I instinctively stood up when the brunette fell hard on the earth- his cheeks and shoulders getting scraped by the pebbles and roots.

"The egg's dangerous!" I gasped. Nagihiko frowned.

"Just like Kusukusu when she turned into an x…"

I turned to Nagihiko then said, "Somehow, I get the feeling that x eggs aren't supposed to be this difficult to handle…"

"There's no doubt about it…" Nagihiko whispered, his eyes narrowing. "They're being manipulated…"

Amu was pushed towards the ground, though she luckily landed on her feet. At that very moment, Nagihiko yelled, "Yaya-chan! Use your giant rattle attack!"

The pig-tailed girl obeyed without question. She flung the gigantic toy towards the black egg. It turned away from Amu to smash the rattle into bits.

"Amu-chan, now!" Nagihiko yelled.

"Negative heart, lock on!" Amu chanted as she casually placed both hands before her- her fingers forming a heart shape. When the egg turned to look at her, it was too late.

"Open heart!"

oOoOoOo

"Well, I definitively learned my lesson for today…" I sighed as I slowly pushed Kirishima-kun's bangs away. Amu fidgeted with the grass for awhile, and although she was tired, she managed to smile at me.

"What?"

"I will never leave Kusukusu again"

Everyone let out silent chuckles; silent chuckles that were abruptly stopped by Kairi's much awaited remark.

"Still, something's been bothering me…" he mumbled before slowly turning to Purple-head. "-you seem to know about guardian characters. I mean, you even looked at the egg and you were a little too calm about everything…"

Amu squint her eyes at Nagihiko, causing the boy to shiver. She leaned in until they were eye-to-eye. Although my full attention was not on him, I could sense his muscles stiffen at Amu's rare glare. "Now that I think about it, Nagihiko, you seem to know an awfully lot about the whole situation. It's as if…you were with us the whole time…"

"Of course I haven't bee stalking you or anything, Amu-chan!"

Tadase sighed then sipped from a carton of milk.

"I mean, Nadeshiko's told me all sorts of things about everyone…"

Kukai's eyes shot wide open at the mention of 'Nadeshiko'.

"She also told me about Easter and guardian characters and x-eggs…" He trailed off, causing Amu to frown.

"And you _believed_ her?"

"Actually, Amu…" I said, causing all eyes to lock on me. "The thing is, Nagihiko also has a chara"

I decided to keep a stoic mask when everyone screamed out loud _'EEEH_s_'_.

It's not everyday I'll do something nice for Nagihiko. Besides, what's the harm of telling this one little lie? To be honest, when it comes to Nadeshiko, I don't think that Amu's even an ounce ready to hear who she truly is.

"W-why didn't she tell us?!" Amu cried. Nagihiko just chuckled nervously before sending me a dubious glance.

With a hanky, I continued to dab traces of sweat off Kirishima-kun's face. "She just didn't get the chance to tell you because his chara is new…" I glanced threateningly at the violet-haired fiend. "Isn't that right, Na-gi-hi-ko?"

Nagihiko nervously cackled.

"Yeah…"

I nodded in satisfaction before tracing a finger through Kirishima-kun's brow. I sighed before allowing my very own brows to scrunch up.

Something's wrong. I could feel someone…someone _staring_ at us…

I immediately turned to my back- my hair whipping fast- only to get a glimpse of Tsukiyomi Chou hastily making her way away from us.

Strange…

Was she the one staring at us this whole time…?

"Rima-tan!" Yaya broke me out of my trail of thoughts my roughly hugging me. I winced for a second before forcing a smile.

"What?" I said, my voice turning out a lot sourer than I expected. Yaya, however, was too dense to notice the meaning of the edgy tone.

"There are still a lot of things you need to explain to us!" She whispered giddily. I cocked my brows at her. What?

"Yaya's right…" Amu giggled as she leaned in to join our secretive conversations. Meanwhile, behind us, the boys were sending each other clueless glances. The only one who didn't seem curious at all was the unconscious Kirishima-kun, who lay sprawled on my lap- his features and expression calm and oblivious.

"Tell me, Rima…" Amu smirked…_wait_! Since when did Amu smirk?!

"Who do you plan to marry? Naddy's twin or Kirishima-kun?"

I felt my eyes widen as realization slowly dawned unto me.

"N-no one!" I screamed.

* * *

**Hi, everyone! Omigod, it's been…a year?! I reread the entire story so that I could remember the details and while reading, I saw some mistakes. I fixed it. Anyway, here's what happened so far:**

Rima knows Nagihiko's identity (obviously!)

–so does Tadase (chapter 4)

–and Saaya and Kirishima (see chapter 41-42)

Amu, Yaya and Kukai have already seen Nagihiko, not knowing that he is Nadeshiko (chapter 21)

The school knows about Ngihiko; they all think he's 'Nadeshiko's twin brother' (chapter 23)

Rima was Kirishima-kun's first love

Tsukiyomi Chou- otherwise known as Hoshina Utau- is still in Rima's class, trying to break the guardians apart.

Everyone knows about Nikaidou and Yukari's past relationship (chapter 28)

The guardians know that Yukari is a part of Easter; Kairi has quit Easter and is now siding with the Guardians (both are in chapter 38)

Rima's dad is now overseas; both parents are working hard to be a family again. Right now, Rima lives alone with her mama (chapter 26-27)

Rima already mentally admitted that she likes Nagi after he was forced into a kiss by his fiancé, Mei (capter 35)

…and of course…

Rima has already kissed Nagi _near _the lips (chapter 37)

**If I remember more details, I'll add it in the next chapters. I'm sorry for making such a long author's note, and for those who are still reading this story, I LOVE YOU! Muahmuahmuah!**


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